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PPOGRESSIVE 


EMBALMING 


SCIENCE. 


Illustrated With New Methods 


-OF- 


Embalming Surgery. 

Embalming Necroscopia. 



Embalming Bacteriology. - 
Embalming Chemistry. 


And a Brief History of Diseases Ending 

in Death. 



BY W. W. BALL. 

Author of several Essays on Embalming - , such as Rapid Dissolution, 
Anatomical Chart and Guide, Elementary Treatise, 

Published in the Casket in 1881. 


All Rights Reserved. 


Published by 

THE BALL PUBLISHING CO. 
t PRINGFIELD, OHIO. 









'R y,bi3 


Entered according' to act of Congress in the year 

1894, by 

W. W. BALL, 

in the otfice of the Librarian of Congress, at 
Washington, D. C. 




fetter. 


In presenting- this work upon the subject of Progress¬ 
ive Embalming, the author desires to extend his most 
cordial thanks to the embalming profession for their 
many kindly considerations in the past, and also to all 
those persons who so graciously and kindly extended the 
free -use of their Medical Libraries, which in so many 
ways assisted the author to gather notes and sketches of 
the subject matter that was shown to be in any way re¬ 
lated to one or more departments of the embalming art, 
and while it is true that these favors have been varied 
and mingled through the period of some years back, ye,t 
the same obligation and the same gratitude remain to be 
extended by the writer for the helping acts and kindly 
advices of such as Dr. Furgerson and Mr. G. W. Rowe, 
Michigan; Dr. Ross, of Washington, D. C.; Dr. Kern. 
Prof Scott, M. D. Ph. D., and the late Dr. Johnson, of 
Kokomo, Ind.; Dr.Vaughn, of Dixon, Ill.; Dr. J. M. Austin, 
the Warder Library and others, of this city. 

In the department of Embalming Surgery there are 
many important illustrations drawn and revised ; the 
author's varied acquaintance and experience, which in 
many ways has enabled him to illustrate many important 
embalming operations—and what relates to that of sur¬ 
gery has been attained through the special study of such 
authors as Hamilton, Agnew, Smith and Howe. While 
it may not be out of place to say these embalming ex¬ 
periences have been continued in a varied way beginning 
in 1872, as a cabinet-maker, undertaker, funeral director, 
embalmer, and since 1881 as a special student of the art, 
and this coupled with an extensive and wide acquaint¬ 
ance with so many of the advancing minds of those en- 



4 


gaged in the work through the country, leads the 
writer to believe that all pertinent points of practical 
and progressive embalming operations are so plainly 
given as to lead the student to a practical knowledge of 
all that which pertains to an honorable and more pro¬ 
fessional advancement of the art, and in the meantime 
may not only encourage them in doing this work, but 
lead them to rely upon their own thermal and specific 
observations of what relates to Putrescing reagents. 

And yet to go still further, in order to lead to a more 
practical knowledge of body condition, I have appended a 
brief history of Death Causes , and this obtained through as¬ 
sociation and study of Clinics and that of morbid Pathol¬ 
ogy drawn from Virchow, Flint, Dunglison, Hartshorn* 
Dunlap, Taylor and other works like Gray and Dalton, 
while in the department of Bacteriology and Microscopy, 
Hunter, Pasteur, Liebig and Carpenter. 

And last, but by no means least, the study of Embalm¬ 
ing; and Anti-Sceptic Chemistry , from F. Ruysch, Hunter, 
Gannal, Falcouy, Renouard, Bell, Richards, Sullivan, 
Hohenschuh, Perri, Lewis, Holmes, Hussey, Sharrer, 
Barnes and the American embalming pioneer, Hon. J. P. 
Eppley and J. M. Sampson. 

The Casket, Shroud, Sunny Side, Western Under¬ 
taker, Rock Falls Undertaker, and The Embalming’ 
Monthly, and also to that which is due to the lasting 
name and memory of those like Benjamin, of Saginaw, 
Mich., and all other persons who by their tireless work 
brought forth the stately ship of state and international 
co-operation—and now what is herein, is briefly given as 
the humble part of the writer with a sincere hope that 
it may be found of no disparagement to the names we 
have used and may be found consistent with the ethics 
of both the medical and embalming profession. 

Most respectfully, 

By W. W. BALL. 


February 20, 1895. 


3n5ex. 


PAGE. 

Introduction. 5 

Professional Interest. 7 

Embalming- Jurisprudence. 8 

Special Science Advancement. 10 

Embalming Instruments. 14 

Embalmers’ Anatomy of the Organs of Circulation, 

Heart, Arteries and Lungs. 20 

The Veins Above the Heart. 21 

Arteries and Veins of the Thorax and Abdominal 

Cavities... 23 

The Principle Body Fluids. 24 

Death Causes and Prognosis. 26 

Simple Chemistry of the Body Substances. 28 

Bacterial Effect of the Body Substances. 29 

Embalming Prognosis. 30 

Body Substances as they Relate to Putrefying Causes 32 

Appearances at Time of Death. 34 

Morbid and Physical Obstructions. 35 

Obstructions which may be Caused by Disease or In¬ 
jury . 36 

Modes of Death. 37 

Proofs of Death. 38 

The Relations of Morbid Pathology to the Science 

of Embalming. 39 

Uncertain Actions of Chemicals. 44 

Theory of Progressive Embalming Necropsy. 46 

Surgical and Instrumental Embalming Operations.. 50 

(Also see pages 123 to 134.) 

Minor Operations upon the Upper Extremities. 52 

Special Operations Upon the Thorax. 58 

Minor Operations Upon the Lower Extremities . 54 





























II 

PAGE. 

Special Operations Upon the Abdominal Cavity. 69 

The Physique and its Tendency to Putrefaction. 72 

The Lymphatic System. 75 

The Thorax. 77 

Abdomen. 79 

The Veins of the Neck and Pace. 81 

Location of the Thoratic Vicera. 83 

Special Instrumental Treatment and How to Use the 

Aspirator. 83 

Physical Obstruction as Found in Women. 87 

Puerperal State. 89 

Morbid Growths. 91 

Ovarian Diseases. 91 

Putrefactive Substances. 92 

Specific Observation of Putrefaction and its Causes. 98 

The Microscope. 100 

A Pocket Lens. 103 

Diseases and their Relation to Putrescion and Body 

Dissolution. 105 

Death as Caused by Diseases of the Lungs. 106 

Pneumonia. “ 

Pleurisy. “ 

Emphysema. “ 

Collapse of the Lung. “ 

Asthma. “ 

Consumption. “ 

Galloping Consumption. u 

Death By Diseases of the Organs of Circulation. 109 

Pericarditis. “ 

Endrocarditis. “ 

Apoplexy. “ 

Hemorrhages. “ 

Death by Diseases Affecting the Organs of Digestion 112 

Inflammatory Diseases. “ 

Malarial. “ 

Typhoid and Other Fevers. “ 

Peritonitis. . “ 

Death by Diseases Affecting the Liver. 112 

Dropsy.86-113 





































Ill 


PAGE. 

Death by Diseases Affecting the Kidneys. 114 

Congestion. “ 

Uraemia . “ 

Brights. “ 

Diabetis. “ 

Death by Diseases Affecting the Brain and Nervous 

System. 115 

Congestion of the Brain. “ 

Inflammation.. “ 

Sunstroke. “ 

Tetanis (Lockjaw). “ 

Hydrophobia. “ 

Delirium Tremens. “ 

Dangerous Contagions. “ 

Smallpox. “ 

Measles. “ 

Diphtheria. “ 

Glanders. “ 

Influenza. “ 

Death by Fevers. 117 

Malarial Fever. “ 

Erysipelas. 118 

“Professional Dangers”. 118 

Syphilis and Transmissable poisons . “ 

Unprofessional. 120 

Practical and Thermal Embalmology. 123 

Review of the Putremology of Baccilli. 125 

Reviewing Embalming Operations. 127 

Embalment of Consumptive Bodies. 128 

Operation. 130 

Drowned. 131 

Operative and Thermal Systems of Embalming. 132 

Common Cavity Process. 

Arterial Process. “ 

Areolar Spaces. 133 

The Anastomatic Method. 133 

The Needle Operation. 134 

Foetal Embalment. 134 

Reviewing a Case of Sudden Death. 135 

v 









































IV 




PAGE. 


Reliable Embalming - Fluids. 137 

Abreviated Embalmology. 143 

Osmose and Collateral Vessels. 146 

A Professional Technic Required. 147 

Result of Embalming Reagents. 148 

Some Putrefying - Causes and Embalming - Reag'ents. 150 

Scientific Embalming - Operations. 151 

The Embalming - Agents. 152 

Experimenting - with Cheap Drugs and Compounds. . 152 

Review of Body Dissolution and Remedial Methods. 156 

Theoretical and Practical Embalment. 158 

Aspirating the Body Fluids. 162 




















3ttbex to illustrations. 


INSTRUMENTS. 

Cut No. 1. 


44 

9 

4 4 

3. 

44 

4 

44 

5. 

4 4 

6. 

LLUSTRATIONS. 

Plate No. 1. 

Fig. 

No. 1. 

4 4 

2 

4 4 

3. 

4 4 

4. 

4 4 

5. 

4 i 

6. 

4 4 

rj 

i . 

4 4 

8. 

4 4 

9. 

4 4 

10. 

4 4 

11. 

4 4 

12. 

c 4 

13. 

» 4 

14. 

*4 

15. 

i • 

16. 

4 4 

17. 

4 4 

k—i 

0° 

44 

19. 

a 

20. 

4 4 

21. 

4 4 

22. 


FAGE. 


Embalmer's Dissecting- Instruments. 15 

Embalrners’Syringe. 14 

Trocar and Syringe. 16 

Improved Syringe and Rod. 17 

Aspirator and Case. 18 

Aspirator, Special. 19 

Abnormal Physique. 74 

First Incision. 51 

Radial Artery. 52 

Ulner Artery. . f 3 

Upper Third of Ulner Artery. 54 

Palmer Arch of Ulner Artery-. 55 

Eadial Artery at the Middle. 56 

Brachial Artery in Middle of the Arm 56 

Brachial Artery and Vein. 57 

Axillary Artery and Vein, Arm Pit.. 59 

Axillary Artery. 59 

Axillary Artery and Vein and the 

Branches. 60 

Branches of Subclavian and Carotid 

Arteries. 61 

Innominate and Subclavian Branches 62 

Common Carotid Artery and Jugular 

Vein. 62 

Anterior Tibial Arter}’. 64 

Operation on the front part of Foot. 65 

Poplical Artery. 66 

Anterior Tibial Artery. 67 

Posterial Tibial Artery.. 68 

Operation on Side of Foot..... 68 

Posterial Tibial Artery. 69 

Femorial Artery and Vein. 69 



























VI 


ILLUSTRATIONS. PAGE. 

“ 23. The Operation. 70 

“ 24. External Iliac Artery and Vein. 71 

“ 25. Lymphatic System. 76 

“ 26. Thorax, Cross Section. 77 

“ 27. Part of the Abdominal Viscera. 78 

“ 28. Reflection of the Peritoneum. 80 

“ 29. Veins of Neck and Face. 81 

“ 30. Front View of Thorax. 82 

“ 31. Ball’s Mode of Aspirating. 85 

“ 32. Dropsical Cases. 86 

Plate No. 2. Last Stages of Pregnacy. 88 

3. Foetal Lodgment and Death by Ex¬ 
haustion. DO 

Fig. No. 35. Cesarian Section. 93 

“ 36. Removing Ovarian Tumor. 94 

37. Completed Operation. 95 

38. Cancer of Right Mammary Glands... 95 


/ 


















TYPOGRAPICAL ERRORS. 


Prof- Renouard’s name is spelled wrong on pages 17, 
19, 39 and 75. 

Prof. John P. Eppley’s name is spelled wrong on page 
16. 

Prof. Perrigo’s name is spelled wrong on page 4. 

Popliteal, on first page of index. 

The word wholesale should read “ unnecessary,” page 

13 - 

The word indulgent should read “ intelligent,” page 13. 

There are several over-long paragraphs that read bad¬ 
ly because they are not properly punctuated. 

The word prognosis is wrong, page 26. 

On page 71, after figure 23, should read -- “ Shows the 
I Iliac artery and vein as it may be found and rais¬ 
ed above the two lower femoral operations, either 
one of which may be used as described. 

The second line on page 164 should read—the flesh sub¬ 
stances take up most of the “ flesh juices by capil¬ 
lary affinity and so the flesh cells absorb these 
flesh juices, by the eolation of the fluid molecules 
with the flesh cells. Also 3d line, 2d paragraph, 
“as it seems that certain parties are claiming may 
be done. 

The word Oleine on page 33 is spelled wrong. 









Sntrobuction. 


While preparing this pocket manual on the subject of 
embalming the author finds that each of the subjects 
which he publishes in the following pages are subjects 
which should receive more' attention than the limited 
space will grant, and these, like several others which he 
has written and published since 1875 or ’76, including Ball’s 
object lesson chart of 1881, and the embalming treatise 
published in “The Casket” in 1883, will also not be free 
from errors, and moreover what defects this book may 
have, the author does not concede that it is necessarily 
a fault that is small; however, it has been his plan to 
simplify many of the intricate problems of the embalm¬ 
ing art, and in this undertaking there are several plans 
designed which involve instructive lessons of embalming 
methods of surgery, and its relation to the art for sup¬ 
plying chemical reagents, and so to more fully provide 
ways and means by which to meet that which follows so 
closely after the fatal tendencies of innumerable dis¬ 
eases. As the embalmers become more cognizant of 
these facts which present themselves each day anew, so 
also they see the necessity for a more replete knowledge 
of special departments of the science of anatomy, physi¬ 
ology and chemistry, as these studies are each allied, to 
give us methods and processes for embalming, and so 
while we undertake to shorten and simplify so great and 
important studies as these, we are compelled to drop out 
so much of that which would take the student to the 
higher knowledge of that science ; but the author has 
foreshortened all in order to simplify this art, and hopes, 
nevertheless, that he shall be able to give practical and 
terse lessons which may enlighten them, and so lead to 
such knowledge as now required, for their true profes¬ 
sional advancement. 

In the department of embalming- surgery, he has pur- 
pously avoided the names of many muscles, nerves and 
bones, as these names would only confuse the student in 
learning the proper names and localities of the arteries 
and veins, together with a knowledge of ways and means 
for performing the more important operations which 
may be required of them. 



6 


Introduction. 


Inasmuch as a great part of this work is similar in 
detail to that of the surgeon, we have made a new applica¬ 
tion of such surgical illustrations as are best adapted to 
show the most intricate operations of embalming surgery. 
There still remains for us, many new responsibilities 
as specialists, because of the new applications, of these 
sciences, by similar operations which I combine, with 
modes of my own and others, in order to compile new and 
fundamental principles into plans and methods, by which 
to build up the art of embalming, whereby all the new 
requirements of this profession, maybe better dealt with 
by all earnest students of the profession. 

While the embalmer cannot follow or either pattern after the 
doctor, there is much which can be learned of them, since all their 
professional work has taken the form of an exact science, Em¬ 
balming should become the same, and if we make the first step 
more perfectly and securely, we will find that every single act 
which in any way pertains to the work of our profession should 
be reduced to the exact detail of everything which surrounds that 
work and may thus be shown as professionally required from 
given causes. No matter how simple may be this detail, yet it 
may at sometime lead us or others to the more exact observation 
at some future time, and by this means may also lead others to a 
higher scholarship, and what may be found as being useful, no 
matter when we get it, let the history be both true and specifically 
detailed, for this will not only aid us to become good scholars, but 
it may tend to build up this science. In the meantime, what we 
learn from medical, or any other classes of books, let us give due 
credit for the source of knowledge. If from some among our 
own profession, no matter how remote from special favor this 
may be, let the observation stand by the light of its own truths. 
By this same rule let us not loose sight of those who carried the 
beginning burden of that service which, though now past, should 
be given the due acknowledgment according to what that first ser¬ 
vice may have merited, as the first steps toward bringing out 
those principles and methods which have advanced our new pro¬ 
fession to the present dawn of theoretical and more practical 
embalming. AUTHOR. 



/ 


Professional interest. 


Perhaps very few modern undertakers know that the time 
has come when those who would become embalmers must run 
their race, as it were, with the medical faculty, and to cite you to 
this fact, we will state in the author's own words what has been 
published to that profession. 

Dr. Benj. Ward Richardson, after contributing an excellent 
article upon the subject of ancient and modern embalming to the 
“ Woods' Monographs," of September, 1889, says, in the closing 
chapter three: “ 1 have dwelt for a few moments on the details of 
embalming, without minutely arguing any point that may be 
raised upon them, in order to show that the art is one that is de¬ 
manded on various grounds and is not likely to fall out of de¬ 
mand. As this is the undoubted fact, I think it is right for the 
medical men to retain and even cultivate the most perfect knowl¬ 
edge of the art. If we do not scientifically carry it out other 
men, mere empirics, who know nothing of either chemistry or 
anatomy, will attempt to do so, the public will be defrauded and 
an art, which really rests on the present basis of science, will be 
brought into unmerited disrepute. 7 ’ 

He says further: “ There is nothing so difficult in the process 
but that any practitioner can perform it as easily as he can per¬ 
form a post-mortem examination; and when he has before him 
the simple rules I shall lay down in the next chapter, he will find 
the task easy. One quality only does it call for, and that quality 
is patience. It is true in these days we are rapid to a marvel 
when we compare ourselves with our old friend, the Egyptian em- 
balmer, for we require hours where they required days. But still 
to do the thing well some considerable patience is demanded even 
now, notwithstanding all our modern knowledge and modern ap¬ 
pliances.” 

It would appear from the wording of the above paragraph that 
the doctor fully believes that his profession must yet become the 
embalmers of the country, and while that may be the case in 
England, his own country, or some other countries like France, 
and Spain, but it will not be likely that any profession 
other than the skillful modern funeral director will per- 
orm the work of embalming the dead in America, especially 
in the United States, simply because the work of embalm¬ 
ing belongs to those who professionally conduct the funerals 
according to the customs of modern burial rites, and 



8 


. Jurisprudence. 

while it may be true that the science of anatomy and chemistry 
belong to the medical profession, but today the embalmer is rapid¬ 
ly becoming fully equipped with such knowledge and culture as to 
place him far above the name of professed pirates and by. all 
rights should stand on a fair professional footing, and, as for our 
part, we are in favor of giving the medical fraternity all the credit 
due them for the many practical embalming ideas from their 
books of disease, as well as from the completeness of anatomy, 
chemistry and surgery, for it is true that nothing could ever have 
been accomplished without these sciences. But now that we 
take this and proceed with so many intricate methods of advance¬ 
ment, by which to successfully meet that force of conditions and 
circumstances which are to be mer at every hand while doing this 
work, they should know that embalmers are specialist, and as 
such they are entitled to a consideration in keeping with their 
honorable and professional accomplishments. What our profes¬ 
sion in the past has done is only the work of a beginning, and it 
is true that we have borrowed much of our sciences of method 
and process from the medical profession, but there is yet no small 
science which we must supply, and this is in creating ways a >d 
means by which to meet the public requirements as they present 
themselves so differently from day to day. What has been done 
by the embalming profession here in the United States, has al¬ 
ready become well and favorably known and so acknowledged, 
and this establishes the fact that the modern funeral director as 
embalmers, are fast becoming qualified and able to perform many 
if not all the duties which the public may require of them as ne 
crocedia specialists. 


Embalming Jurisprudence. 

There are so many times when the embalmers may be at a 
1 oss to see from the outward appearances of the body what was 
the actual cause of death, and for a time he may be at a loss to 
know what is best for him to do under the circumstances. Ba in 
the past this has often been the case with our best physicians. 
The doctors’ knowledge of diseases, and the various consequen- 
tive derangement of the body has grown by the slowest steps of 
observation and experience. 

Experience shows that embalming progress, like that of medi¬ 
cal science, rests upon the common laws of cause and effect; 
therefore our intelligences are appealed to for better methods by 
which to supply various remedies to offset the many dangerous 
forms and consequences which follow diseases. Upon this 
ground the physicians have been given many valuable supports 
by a legalized statue which enables them to prove all advancing 
theory by the simple method of observation and a final investi¬ 
gation, so they may become familiar with every detail of those 
things, which by disease or other reasons may have become more 
or less disastrous to their methods of treatment. 






9 


Jurisprudence. 

Perhaps the most perfect system for advancing the physicians 
to a complete knowledge of diseases and the various stages of 
complication, has been as we have said, the statutory law, which 
legalizes post mortem examination after death. While they are 
so especially favored by all but the unlimited methods of pro- 
ceedure, which they direct according to their own theory, even 
to the extent of an experiment. Yet there is none who can not 
but acknowledge the untold benefits which these men do give by 
work for humanity in return for this international statute law, 
that both protect the public, while it encourages them as pro¬ 
fessional men. 

Inasmuch as the modern embalmer has become the public 
servant, and this as a scientific specialist, it now becomes necessary 
for that profession to have a specific law. Not that the em¬ 
balmer is to be classed as the physician or surgeon, but it is be¬ 
cause the public requires certain intricate professional services 
which demands of them a more perfect knowledge of the internal 
disarrangement of deceased bodies as they become involved by 
reason of the varied destroying influence of -‘Death Causing 
Diseases.” 

The question has been asked, who is to become the future 
legal embalmer, and if we consider the future safety of the pub¬ 
lic can anyone, other than a cultured student of medicine and 
surgery be permitted to hazzard the work of empericism as 
against those who have a qualified knowledge of the high science 
of chemistry and art ? 

Now this is a question which is not yet a settled matter, 
further than what silence has given over by the laws of custom, 
and as there are known to be, not a few abuses which are be¬ 
ginning to chafe these customary silences, so that in some 
localities public opinion is fast becoming waged into the form of a 
demanded statue to govern and regulate the practices of those 
engaged in this art, as well as for that of the druggist or the 
doctor. 

As intelligence and good meaning can not make either a good 
druggist or a good doctor—neither can it qualify the undertaker 
in the professional work of embalming the dead. 

Admitting the two grand features of these professional qualifica¬ 
tions, yet there remain alike proportionate responsibility, and while 
the doctor’s studies have qualified his knowledge to the extent of his 
being a safe, competent druggist, or even a competent embalmer, 
the same can not be said by reversing either of the two last with 
the first. However the druggist may become better qualified by 
the study of a single science, and so it may be with the em¬ 
balmer also. And when we consider the undertaker we find it 
proper, by reason of his surroundings, that he qualifies as an 
embalmer, and do this by the special study of that science. 
And admitting that the doctor may possess every requisite which 
would enable him to do good embalming, they ought not under¬ 
take to possess the whole earth, but should confine themselves to 


10 


Special Science. 

the study of practical medicine, and not confuse himself with that 
science which may give practical drug remedies and reagents for 
correcting anamalculated putrelescence —for this is the work 
which must be accomplished by those who study the special 
sciences for better ways and means of embalming the dead. 

Experience teaches the most practical lessons of life, and it is 
through this that we find that all method and process for the em¬ 
balming art can only come through a cultivated plan of advance¬ 
ment. And now since the public requires the services of an em- 
balmer, and it is found that this service must be a practical pro¬ 
fessional one, then there is sure to be a reasonable qualification, 
on the part of those who are to engage in this new work, and 
provisional laws to govern and regulate that work according to 
what it merits and requires, What this profession may do, re¬ 
mains a matter yet to be more fully studied, uotwithstanding the 
rapidly grown public favor. But what the profession requires as 
professional men, is a statutory privilege which will permit 
them as profession men to become investigators and so prose¬ 
cute the results of observation to the proof of proper theory ; this 
only can advance them to a better knowledge and so provide bet¬ 
ter ways and means by which to enable them to more fully under¬ 
stand and master many of the intricate tendencies of rapid, mor¬ 
bific and poisonous stages which are to be met with in handling 
the bodies of deceased persons. Nothing less than some well 
regulated ways for proof can ever settle any theory or observa¬ 
tion to a knowledge of fact, and so personal Investigation will be 
required if we would have the embalmer to advance his knowl¬ 
edge in keeping with the demands of the public. Then a legal post¬ 
mortem inspection should be granted under certain professional 
restrictions, when in the meantime these men as specialits may 
be enabled to broaden their knowledge by enlargening the field for 
discovery and so ultimately cultivate and build up the embalming 
art to that of a more exact science. 


Special Science Advancement. 

Past observations show us that with modern embalmers there 
is a great deal of empiricism, but this is no more truthful with 
us than it was with the doctor's fraternity not many years ago 
and as legislation has helped to build them up so it will help to 
build up the modern embalming profession and to cite the doctor 
to the fact that here in the United States we have the true spirit 
of an honorable professional advancement. We may only point 
to our numerous State and International associations,’and especi¬ 
ally to those like Virginia, Alabama and others whose lead¬ 
ing representative men are alive to the public good as much as for 
the professional interest and so by their united efforts as good 
citizens to stop all nostrum and empirical fakes as soon as 
possble. The author will venture the assertion that all embalm- 



11 


Special Science. 

ing fakes will be stopped before the medical profession can stop 
the practice of medical quackery. 

But to return to the subject,' Dr. Hartshorne says that it is the 
vocation of the true physician to make all observation scientific 
and this being the only true way for any professional to succeed, 
shows us that the embalming aft, also,'must be made and culti¬ 
vated into the most precise methods and ways of practice. 
To do this rightly all must study and learn to appreciate the 
conditions and circumstances which modifies the action of drugs 
or chemical reagents, as well as to know what stages of putres¬ 
cence may or may not require, as they are separately or collective¬ 
ly placed in contact with various morbid substances which the 
long lines of various diseases leaves for the art of m >dern em¬ 
balming to remedy afterward. 

And we will say that here is shown the task that within itself 
embodies more than is now known by any specialist of the high¬ 
er branch of anyscie. ce;therefore, we, asembalmers, must go forth 
upon the field of discovery which alone may yet result in a better 
system and methods by which to guide each practitioner in the 
beginning work of daily observation. 

Is it not true that embalming is a progressive science ? and we 
may say with all due respect of propriety, that even an incom¬ 
plete knowledge of the internal physical condition may at some¬ 
time suggest some safe and proper experiment. However, the 
better plan for the embalmer’s true advancement will be found in 
the study of every associate detail of such branches of the estab¬ 
lished science as are likely to give us a better knowledge of all 
that pertains to embalming. 

After physiology and chemistry, comes the greatest study of 
all, morbid pathology, or to be more specific, we must become 
thoroughly acquainted with all the physical conditions as they re¬ 
sult in death by reason of any and all diseases. For if the em- 
balmer would be a man of acknowledged professional ability, this 
standing must come from the success of his work as well as by what 
show they may be able to give. And in order for them to be 
expedient and exact, they must become good judges of the actual 
internal condition of each subject and when they fail to find some 
proper outward signs, they must know ways by which to prove 
the exact internal disarrangement which diseases or other causes 
may have created to the embalmer’s disadvantage. 

Then to discuss this subject further, we will say that all good 
diagnosis will rest materially upon the operators knowledge of, 
first, the chemistry of the human body, and next on that of his 
thorough acquaintance of what disease will cause by either local 
or general morbid condition and varied by the same rule of all 
those maledies which result in death. 

Now, as the history of all diseaees are studies of the highest 
sciences, so, also must come the embalmers science because we 
must take and operate upon, not a single substance with but a 
single form, but it is with various flesh substances, which under 


12 


Special Science. 

the advanced stages of putrescence may scarcely have a form and 
so lose the normal one by becoming a'mass, lost by reason of 
the disarranging process of disease. 

An embalming formula or receipt may be useful in certain 
specific instances but as we gather experience, we see that nos¬ 
trums must be treated as such, and now we look about us for 
true operative methods as well as for embalming compounds. 

The embalmer's experiences for the last twenty years show us 
that there must be practical methods of operative" surgery, as well 
as i ractical reagents, to meet the crying necessities, for past 
experience has taught all that when there is no certain knowledge 
of a thing, a mere opinion can not discover a sure remedy; 
what may prove useful in one case may be a detriment to anoth¬ 
er. The time is here, when all embalming should be con¬ 
ducted upon the rational laws of cause and effect and thus to 
draw out new methods from the evident causes so that all obscuri¬ 
ty may be removed from what pertains to embalming as a science. 

Then, when we look into the future prospects of the coming 
professional embalmer, we will see that the question of the seat of 
disease; the class and process which a malady may produce are 
questions of no idle talk, because we know that no one can do 
good embalming by the single arterial process alone, when at such 
times there are ruptured arteries, engorging abscesses or some 
similar condition like abnormal growth and other hinderances. 

Since we know that each one of these affections may cause 
such a physical disarrangement, and therefore will require spec¬ 
ial operations as well as special drug reagents in order to cope 
with the destroying influences with true measures of embalment. 

It is this knowledge of the embalmer’s work which has 
brought the writer to the conclusion that the time is here when 
all intelligent embalmers want to know “ the why of the rapid 
and unaccounted for putrescence” and the how shall they apply 
embalming surgery and chemistry by which to successfully con¬ 
trol and embalm that class of diseased bodies which will not 
yield to any ordinary mode of treatment. 

Since it is true that neither formulas nor mysterious drugs will 
meet the present professional wants, the author will say that 
nothing less than a special study of the special science of embalm¬ 
ing can or even will supply a way, but by that of a thorough 
knowledge of the many intricacies of this science. When each 
student will carefully study to know the many forms of rapid dis¬ 
solution of the human body, they each may learn what will be 
the varied predominate causes for the dissolution and will sooner 
or later find ways to explain all as well as to be able to under¬ 
stand how it is tha^ true chemistry is built upon given laws so 
that each drug may be known and classed upon the fundamental 
law principles which cieate each into classes according to their 
primary bases, and as each one of these may or may not be or¬ 
ganized or reorganized into other compounds whereby we may 
find specific embalming qualities under given conditions or if 


13 


Special Science. 

otherwise, we may find specific embalming qualities under given 
conditions, or if otherwise, we may be enabled to determine why, 
and this by the same rule which chemical science provides and es¬ 
tablishes medical remedies for doctors use. Then why not for the 
embalmers, also? Though we admit that the living functions of 
the human body are vastly different than when under the in¬ 
fluence of decay. 

And so the author has prepared and believes that the profession 
wants a brief work upon the history of the diseases which, sep 
arately or by their various complications, end in death. 

By the side of this w r e have also compiled and illustrated the 
various surgical operations, which the embalmer ought to become 
thoroughly acquainted with, because this knowledge will enable 
him to select and operate according to the requirements which a 
knowledge of death causes, and his experience together will 
show as being necessary in order to do all the work as it should 
be done. No one can make observations nor pass opinion of any 
reliance or consequence until they have some true knowledge of 
these things by which to base their judgement upon. 

We presume that there will be some persons who will raise ob¬ 
jections to this book of surgical operations, but we do not expect 
that question of wholesale mutilation of the body to be raised by the 
indulgent people, but only those who have a design. And 1 may 
say that it is not necessary to make either exposure or mutilation 
of the body of any subject for the skilled hand of the modern em¬ 
balmer can and will operate only as justified by the actual re¬ 
quirements of each subject and this in the same ratio and with 
the same spirit as the most eminent surgeon when they carefully 
and thoughtly administer the many untold benefits of that science 
as an achievement for humanity, since method and culture are 
shown to be their only reliance, and so it must be our constant 
care to be cautious and thoughtful as professionals while we act 
as the servants of the public. 


(Embalming instruments 


There are now many classes and grades of embalming instruments 
on the market, and as these vary both in price as well as in style and 
quality, it will not be necessary for the author to speak of them further 
than as they relate to those instruments that are actually necessary to 
enable an intelligent operator to do good work. However, no person 
can be a good operator unless they have studiously applied themselves 
to the well known sciences of the modern embalming art. T _ 

The embalmers’ postmortem and dissecting instruments are usually 
simple, yet they should be made of good material, and if not they 
soon become useless. 

No. 1 shows round point scalpel. 

No. 2. Abscess scalpel. . , 

No. 3. Tenaculum. 

No. 4. Fastening or pinning chain. 

No. 5. Round edge scalpel. 

No. 6. Parting blade. 

No. 7. Pinchers. 

No. 8. Rib or bone shears. 


Embalming Syringes. 



Cut 2.—Continuous Flow Syringe, Artery Tubes, Needle 

and Canula. ’ 
















Instruments. 


15 




Cut L—Embalmers’ Postmortem and Dissecting Instruments. 






































16 


Instruments. 


/ 


A11 professional embalmers should provide themselves with a well 
selected general case of embalming instruments, and the assortment 
ought to be made up from a good variety, and should, for professional 
use, include not only a good hand satchel, but comprise one or more 
special pocket cases. 

Any strong rubber or metal syringe will do for ordinary work, but it 
will always be safer to purchase one that is especially fitted with valves 
for this class of work. Cut 2 shows an illustration of a continuous flow 
syringe called the “ Omega Embalming Syringe.” Figures 1, 2, 3 and 
4 show curved arterj' points or tubes. Fig. 5 shows a long straight 
needle. Fig. 6 is a wire rod which fits into this needle so that it maj’ be 
used as a trocar point for dispersing and routing the gas. Fig. 7 
shows a rubber cap for capping the needle while using it as a trocar. 
Fig. 8 shows a long canula or soft flexible tube. 

Early Experiences. 

The author made use of this, or rather a common catheter, first 
during the fall # of 1873, for introducing the embalming fluid into the 
stomach through the nose. In cases where there -was no cavity or ar¬ 
terial process of embalment. 



Cut 3. 


The embalmer’s bulb syringe and trocar for cavity work is shown 
in cut 3. 

An improved trocar is shown in cut 4, page 17. This aspirator is 
provided with three sizes of trocar points and rod to suit each one, 
while the patent shank is provided with a reversible bulb. On the 
right a long soft wire with ball tip and handle. This is used to open up 
the large veins, while at the left shows a strong exploring rod and 
viscera lifter. 

Aspirators. 


Perhaps the first honor to men as undertakers lies between Hon. 
John P. Epley, of Cincinnati, O., and Prof. Sampson, of Pittsburg^ 



Instruments. 


17 



Cut 4. 


Pa., for being the first to use a metal pump to inject the arteries, here 
in the United States—as this dates back with the honored veteran, 
Epley, I am told by him personally that he surgically embalmed a 
case which he shipped to New York, and soon afterwards made his 
compound embalming device in 1852 

The author first used an improvised aspirator in 1874 (See Fig - . 31, 
page 35)—Renonard, Sullivan and Rhodes, about the same time; do 
not know the dates of either. However, I think Professor Renonard irr- 
ven ed the Y or g-oose neck, while honors are to be given both, for a 
good many other and similar discoveries for doing - professional work, 
while possibly Prof. Rhodes was first to bring out the long cavity 
needle. 
























18 


Instruments 



Cut 5. 

CutS shows a large size reversible valve aspirator connected to the 
bottle with the goose-neck and having the long needle ready for cavity 
work, for both injecting or ejecting, while there are also various sizes 
of artery tubes and canula tubes with the case that are not properly 
sho'wn. 

The long canula was made and first used with and without glass 
connections in 1874. 

The Ball exploring device at the bottom of cut 5, also the exploring 








Instruments. ~ 19 

rod and the viscera lifter on the right and left of cut 4, are those valu¬ 
able devices which he has made frequent use of since 1876. 

Two special sizes of aspirators for pocket cases are not shown, be¬ 
cause they are similar in every way to that shown in cut 6. 

For general embalming uses, the aspirator is about 7 inches long 
over all. While for children or special uses on infants, this aspirator 
is made much smaller and is provided with suitable and delicate 
needles and artery appliances which cortespond with the professional 
and delicate work which this instrument is intended for. I believe 
Renonard was first to use and recommend these special sizes to the pro¬ 
fession. 



Cut 6. 

Speaking of any or all of the above embalming instruments, it will 
be proper to say that the aspirator and the syringe were each invented 
by the physician and surgeon, and may have been used by some of 
them to do embalming prior to the dates spoken of, but as the 
first steps of the undertaker are those steps which have since brought 
this business up to a profession as specialists in the work of embalm¬ 
ing, we desire to give the credits which are due to all those who set 

forth in the true work for advancing this profession, and so it is that 
today we have so many classes and grades of embalming instruments 
which space will not'permit to further detail. Write to your dealer 
for catalogue. 











(£mbalrner’s Ctnatomy of the ©rgans of dir= 
dilation—fjeart, eateries anb Sungs. 


As the human form is dependent upon the staunch bone struc¬ 
ture, we find that the anatomist has given latin names to each 
separate bone so as to signify its function and use. Gray says 
that there are two hundred bones in the adult skeleton. A good 
knowledge of the skeleton will greatly assist the student to learn 
the names of the muscles, ligaments, nerves, arteries, veins and 
the location of various other organs of the body, but space will 
not permit giving even an outlining chapter upon the subject 
of osteology. 

While the names of the nerves, ligaments and many of the 
muscles are of but little use to the embalmer, yet, the deeper we 
study into all that pertains to' a thorough acquaintance of anato¬ 
my and physiology, the broader and easier will come a thorough 
familiarity with the higher and more professional work of em¬ 
balming. 

In order to compile the essentials of anatomy for the embalm- 
ers use, the author will recommend a special study as follows: 4 

The Organs of Circulation.—This comprises the heart, 
arteries and veins and the embalmer should become thorough¬ 
ly acquainted with their principle branches and sub-divisions, 
names and location. As taese arteries and veins are associated 
by some principle bone and muscle, it will be found easy to learn 
their names and structure. It is true that a successful operation 
may depend largely upon our acquaintance with some peculiar 
formation of either the bones or muscles, and no one can perform 
either a quick or successful operation without first having a 
thorough knowledge of all the intricate surroundings of the vessel 
or organ which may require any special operation upon. 

The pulmonary artery arises from the right ventricle of the 
heart, carries veinous blood to the lungs and then returns as arter¬ 
ial blood through the pulmonary veins into the left ventricle of 
the heart. See Fig. 26. Page 77. 

This blood now rises above into the arch of the aorta, partial¬ 
ly shown in Fig. 30 , page 82 , where the blood begins to be dis¬ 
tributed above and below. On top of this arch are three branches, 
each of which are subdivided into various other branches to sup¬ 
ply the head, shoulders and arms. The artery innominata is 
placed at the right side and on top of the arch of the aorta. There 


20 





The Veins. 


21 


is no left artery innominata. About two inches above the arch 
this artery branches, and in supplying blood to the right side of 
the neck and head, the blood passes upward through the common 
carotid artery. Just under the jaw bone this artery branches into 
what is known as the external carotid artery and numerous other 
branch arteries to supply the face, while the deep carotid artery 
goes above to supply part ot the brain. 

It we return to' the artery innominata, we find the artery 
branches that supply the right si e and arm. This is known as 
the right subclavian artery. The left subclavian starts directly 
from the arch of the aorta at the left side. But, to follow the arter¬ 
ies of the right side: A second artery branches above known as 
the vertebral artery and this at the skull is called basilar artery as 
it supplies the base of the brain. 

Returning to the arch of the aorta, in going toward the right 
hand we pass the innominata, common carotid and subclavian ar¬ 
tery with its veterbral branch as they all branch above, while be¬ 
fore the subclavian artery passes over the rib, it again sends off 
the thyroid axis artery, with its three or more branches above 
while below the subclavian artery there are two internal 
branches, internal mammary and' superior intercostal arter¬ 
ies, making four branches from the subclavian artery. The next 
division of this vessel is called the axillary artery, and we find 
that this vessel has several well-defined branch arteries, also, but 
their numerous complexition are to great for their full descrip¬ 
tion here. 

The axillary artery begins at the border of the first rib and 
continues to the arm pit where it is called the brachial artery. 

The brachial artery sends off three branches and the artery 
lies just under the biceps or great muscle of the arm, and is said 
to be superficial because of its nearness to the surface. Just be¬ 
low the elbow the brachial artery divides into the radial artery and 
the ulner artery. Fig. 5, page 55 shows the palmer arch of the 
ulner artery. 

As we have described the arteries of the right side above the 
heart, the student will find that to start at the arch of the aorta 
this time on the lett side, that as there is no left artery innominata 
and the left common carotid artery starts directly upward from 
the arch, while just at the left of it, the left subsclavien artery 
with similar branches to that, of the right subclovian artery and 
continued next as the axillary artery and branch, and the brachial 
artery and small branches, the radial and ulner arteries of the left 
arm are like those-of the right side. 


The Veins above the Heart. 

Now, as we have the names of all the principle arteries above 
the heart, we will take up the veins as they are associated with 
these principle arteries in the upper part of the body. 



22 


The Veins. 


At the heart and above the right ventricle of the heart the 
right auricle forms the beginning ot the great veinous system and 
as these vessels follow the arteries above the superior vena cava, 
they overlap the ascending poriions of the arch of the aorta, 
when this vessel branches to the left and in front of these branch 
arteries of the aorta. This vein is called the right vena innomi- 
nata. This time we follow and describe the veins of left side in¬ 
stead of right. On the top of the left vena innominata are two 
small branch veins called thoyroid veins. The more important 
vessels branch directly above and is called the left internal jugu¬ 
lar vein. See Fig. SO, page 82. While numerous branch veins 
are associated with the arteries and are known as the internal ju¬ 
gular, external jugular, fascial and deeper veins. See Fig 29 , 
page 81. While the deeper branches are known as vertebral veins 
of the spine, the thyroid and cerebal veins of the brain. 

Returning to the heart or rather the left branch of the vena 
innominata and pass the internal jugular. Here the external ju¬ 
gular and its branches go above as shown in Fig. 29 . The con¬ 
tinuation of the vena innominata to the left is called subclavian 
vein and this is where the important function of the thoratic duct 
empties chyle nutrition into the veins whence it goes directly into 
the heart; but to name the branching veins of the left shoulder 
and arm will lead to several complications of this body owing to 
the chain of net work which the superficial veins, and in fact, all 
veins leading to the throat. The deep veins accompanying the ar¬ 
teries, as the subclavian vein, the axillary vein and the basilic 
veins; one of the superficial veins branches from the axillary vein 
and is known as the cephalic vein. This vein and the basilic 
vein makes a junction inside the elbow of each arm, where the 
surface veins show many other similar junctions in the hand and 
forearm. While we began to name these veins from the heart 
outward to their extremities, the doctor or true anatomist would 
have traced these veins from where the veinous blood collects into 
these vessels and followed this back toward the heart. The em- 
balmer may take up and inject several, especially the femoral and 
the radial veins, [Fig. 22,) or by using canula may eject and 
wash these vessels out, but as these vessels are full of valves and 
the walls are soft, no fluid can be drawn from these unless there 
is a long rubber tube first inserted into the vessel. A long soft 
copper or iron wire might be inserted, if provided with a ball tip. 
The names of the veins on the right side are exactly similar to 
those of the left, and while there is but one artery innominata, 
(right side) there are both right and left vena innominata, though, 
while the left vena innominata is long the other is very short to 
where the right deep jugular vein starts upward, while" the right 
subclavian, axillary and basilic veins of the arms and the cephalic 
or superficial vein which starts or branches from the axillary 
vein and again joins- into the basilic vein at the inside of the 
elbow of each arm, as it lays near the surface, this vein may be 
operated upon in a great many cases. 


Large Arteries and Veins. 23 

The Arteries and Veins of the Thoracic and Abdominal 

Cavities. 

At the arch of the aorta, we began naming the branches 
above the heart and said nothing about the great trunk of the 
aorta. This vessel and all other arteries have strong thick walls 
and hold their cylindrical form, while the thin walls of the veins 
collapse and sometimes they will dry and glue together after 
death. The descending aorta passes from the arch and behind the 
heart and down the left side of the spine. This trunk is called the 
thoracic and abdominal aorta. 

It is said that there may be frequent malformation of the thor¬ 
acic aorta branches and that numerous false formations may 
take the places of certain relative vessels. Beginning with the 
pulmonary artery, {Fig. 26, page 77,) we find that the heart 
is dependent upon both of the lungs and so are greatly 
allied by the bronchial arteries. Possibly the first and greatest 
question to the embalmer is that of ruptured arteries by reason of 
disease of the lungs. The branches of the thoracic aorta and 
pericardiac, bronchial,[oesophageal, posterior mediastinal and inter¬ 
costal arteries and their branches. See Gray, page 494 , for 
want of space. 

The abdominal aorta and its branches become so complex 
that we shall not be able to describe them farther than to say 
that the two renal branches of the aorta and similar branches 
from the interior vena cova unite by convolutions in both the kid¬ 
neys; while both the interior and superior mesenlerial artery and the 
stomach, liver, spleen and pancreas are each supplied with one or 
more branches from the aorta. As the aorta is the great artery 
of the trunk of the body, we find a corresponding vein, spoken of 
above, commencing at the left auricle of the heart, and this vessel 
lays on the right side of the spine opposite the aorta situated on 
the left side of the spine. Fig 29 shows the right auricle but not 
the left one, as this is situated behind the heart. 

The inferior vena cava is composed of soft, flexible walls and 
full of valves. Sometimes it will be found more than an inch 
wide, and what is important to know is the manner that this ves¬ 
sel and branches are involved with the kidneys and other organs 
of the body. This vein and the aorta may become ruptured by 
some local disease like Bright’s disease or someother affection, 
which, as local causes, may destroy the possibility of circulating 
any embalming fluid as it should be. When we study each of the 
branches of the abdominal aorta, we find so many branches and 
sub-branches that are of the greatest consequence to a perfect em¬ 
balming process. The author wishes that each class of these 
veins and artery branches could be named and described as they 
should be, because of their future importance to the embalming 
profession. 

Below the kidneys the aorta and the interior vena cava each 
form into two great branches as both the arteries and veins de- 


24 


Flesh Juke. 


cend downward from a point about opposite the hips. The first 
two principle branch forms are those about two inches long and 
known in the artery as right and left common iliac arteries, or if 
from the interior vena cava, as the right and left common iliac 
veins. 

With both the arteries and veins there are internal and exter¬ 
nal iliac arteries and veins. The external iliac artery and vein 
are shown in Figs. 22, 23, 24, pages 69, 70, 71. 

We now leave the trunk arteries and veins and their numer¬ 
ous smaller abdominal branches and follow the external iliac out 
of the trunk at the conjunction of the leg where this artery is 
known as the femoral artery and femoral vein; while with the 
last vein there is a superficial branch called the long sapheneous or 
superficial vein. 

The femoral artery and vein are vessels well-known to the em- 
balmer as shown in Fig. 22, 23 and 24, above. The lower in¬ 
cision of cut 23 is about where the femoral terminates and is 
known and continued as the popliteal artery. (See Fig. 17 , page 
66 .) As this passes downward to below the knee where it is sub¬ 
divided into the posterior tibal artery (Fig. 19 , page 68 .) and the 
anterior tibal artery (Fig. 15 , page 68). The smaller branch 
shown in Fig. 19 is the peroneal artery—a good operation for the 
larger one, posterior artery is shown in Fig. 20, page 60, while 
Fig. 19, page 68, shows another at the terminus or the dorsal 
pedis artery. Usually the veins are to be found by the side of 
these arteries, and in some subjects that have large arteries and 
veins may be successfully operated upon by means of a long gum 
catheter which may be introduced into the large veins of the 
abdomen from the incision shown in Fig. 16, though in some 
cases both time and patience may both be frustrated unless the 
vein is first opened up by means of a suitable ball-tipped rod, and 
this, like the brachial artery and vein, will yet become very 
popular for both drainage and cleaning the veins and arteries 
as well as for injecting the embalming reagents. 


The Principal Body Fluids. 

The Blood.—The second study will be that of the blood. As 
this fluid of the body will take two or more forms and conditions, 
and so follow with various specific forms of destroying influences, 
and it is now shown by the science of bacteriology that all flesh 
juices, while undergoing certain morbuiations, may soon become 
a fostering and propagating medium for many varieties of para¬ 
sitic fungus vegetable and animal growth that are named accord¬ 
ing to the specific causes that produce them, and spoken of by the 
author in an essay on the rapid dissolution of the human body 
pub. in The Casket, also Prof. Renonard’s first work on embalm¬ 
ing some 18 or 20 years ago, and it is true that if we would prop¬ 
erly and scientifically treat and embalm deceased bodies it must 



25 


Body Fluids. 

be by becoming better acquainted with all that pertains to the 
stated conditions of the fluid constituents of each body. 

The analysis of the blood shows us that when normal it com¬ 
prises various proportions of substances like albumen, sacchrine 
matter, fatty globules and water. Arterial blood and Veinous 
blood become alike after death, though the capillary attraction of 
the flesh tissues will usually absorb most of the arterial blood at 
or soon after death, while the veinous blood may remain in the 
veins for some days after. However, a greater portion of this 
veinous blood will remain in the trunk veins both above and be¬ 
low the heart, and in some cases mav cause the greatest trouble. 

The Lymphatic System.—The third important study will 
be the Lymphatic System. This is so closely inle woven in 
the flesh cells and glands, that it becomes of the gre; test conse¬ 
quence to all. Here are found most of the fiery element's of rapid 
dissolution. While there are but few glands and few local chan¬ 
nels. which may be named and treated by any special measure, 
yet the whole body or flesh system are interwoven by continuous 
chain or network of the lymphatic glands and channels which 
contain various amounts of the lymph or sweet watery and albu- 
minic fluid. 

Mesenteric System.—The fourth study will be that of the 
Mesenteric system. Tlfls gives the first process of nutrition 
to the blood. The chyme, and the lmyph, are said to be almost 
identical in their constitution, though with varied proportions of 
the constituents according to the different parts of the vascular 
system. The lymph is a secretion of a system of vessels and 
glands for the available purpose of nutrition as it returns its fluid 
into the vein close t> the heart there to be mixed with the blood; 
while the chyle is a fluid secreted by the villi of the small intes¬ 
tines from the food. This chyle is intermingled with the Impyh 
and is poured into the circulation through the same channels. 

The thoracic duct conveys both the lymph and chyle fluids in¬ 
to the blood through the subclavian vein above the heart, while the 
receptacle for the fluid chyle is located above the fourth lumbar ver¬ 
tebra where the numerous lumbar glands are located and the thor- 
atic duct vessel is located just under the aorta and the asending 
vena-cova. By making a heart post-mortem incision this might 
be taken up and injected with embalming fluid, or by using Ren- 
onards left brachial vein operation, this duct might be injected 
if under favorable circumstances. Prof. Hobenschuh thinks it 
might possibly be pumped partially empty of its contents of 
chyme and chyle; but as this vessel and chyle reseptacle are only 
small, the veinous injection, if well done, should be sufficient. 
However, we desire to be fully understood here, because 
the lmvphatic vessels cannot be injected further than 
what may be forced into the thoracic duct as spoken of by the 
above method. As the smallness of the lymphatic vessels with 
their great chains ot net work throughout the whole organ and 
flesh system of the body cannot be injected, and so these lymph 


26 


Death Causes 


atic fluids of the body are remote and can only be operated upon 
by and through the arteries, veins and by flesh capillaries anas¬ 
tomosis. Large and sound arteries and veins will usualy provide 
ample ways to conduct the embalming fluid to places where its 
chemical "affinity may impregnate the lymphatic vessels and 
glands and so arrest the first stages of putrefying process of de¬ 
cay. 

"When small arteries or diseased arteries and veins will not per¬ 
mit the embalm ng fluid to pass through them and so cannot 
reach the flesh cells and glands of the lymphatic, and so the case 
is soon lost at all times, when there is any considerable lymph 
or watery fluids that cannot either be withdrawn or rendered nu* 
tral by a suitable chemical reagent. 

The fifth matter of importance is to be found within the or¬ 
gans of excrements or rather the special organs, such as the kid¬ 
neys; but as we cannot stop with one organ, we must take up 
and include all the viscera of both the thoracic and abdominal 
cavities. 

Beginning with the organs of circulation; the organs of respir¬ 
ation; the organs of digestion, and the brain, closely allied with 
these, comes the great question of the many classes of disease 
which attact all the various organs of the body and thereby de¬ 
stroy life by the dismemberment of some functional quality of one 
or more given organ of the body. [See diseases which end in 
death.] 

As we advance it will be found that much of the professional 
work of embalming is more or less dependent upon some special 
knowledge of the organs of the body and the diseases which may 
directly or indirectly relate to each of the various organs of the 
body because some special operation may be required, and we 
must know the arteries and veins which reach these organs. 
While in cases of some specific disease, we must be able to deter¬ 
mine the result of each embalming operation which is performed. 
Then to go further, it is well-known that some people contain a 
large pioportion of blood fluid with large arteries, veins and capil- 
ary or flesh cells, while others of similar size and weight may 
have only small arteries and but little blood fluid, and yet, in life 
each person will be in good health. Disease may or may not 
take away this fluid, though it will likely follow diseases that the 
blood will undergo certain changes more or less peculiar to that 
disease and with death these body fluids may leave such changes 
by its chemical conditions as will cause the body to take on a rap¬ 
id form of dissolution, or this chemical change of the blood mav 
be such, like great body emaciation, when only the slowest form 
of dissolution or dry decay will take place. 


Death Causes and Prgnosis. 

All progressive embalmers will see at a glance that what are 
here given will be of the greatest consequence to them, as they 



General Diseases. 


27 


may then know and understand the important features which dis¬ 
ease may cause, and so destroy certain local or general functions 
of the internal body structure in so many ways, that it then be¬ 
comes necessary to use the greatest care in order for even the 
highest skilled embalming surgeon to embalm those bodies which 
may have undergone the destroying influences of such diseases, 
and as there are a great many diseases the embalmer ought to 
know, what disease gives that class of body destruction, from 
local or general cause, which are of such nature as to interrupt 
the process of the embalming operation. 

Diseases of the Lungs, which may be followed by death, 


are 


Pneumonia, 

Pleurisy, 

Collapse of the lungs, 

Asthma, 

Consumption, 

Galloping consumption. 
Diseases of the organs of circulation : 

Pericarditis, 

Endrocartitis, 

Anurisms, 

Apoplexy. 

Diseases affecting the organs of digestion : 
Inflammation of stomach and bowels, 
Peritonitis, 

Complications, 

Malarial, typhus and other fevers. 
Diseases of the Liver, 

“ “ Kidneys, 

“ “ Diabetes, 

“ “ Dropsy, 

“ *• Brain, 

“ “ Pregnancy. 


Unclassed— 

Tetanus (lockjaw), 
Hydrophobia, 
Hemorrhage, 
Delerium tremens, 
Morbid growths, 
Venerial disorders. 

Accidental death— 


Drowned, 

Killed, 

Poisoned, 

Electrocuted. 

Epidemic and dangerous diseases : 
Measles, Scarlet fever, 

Membranous croup, Glanders, 
Influenza, Yellow fever, 


Diphtheria, 

Small-pox, 

Cholera. 


28 


Flesh Substance. 


It is scarcely necessary to argue why one body deceased of one 
disease is not physically the same as it would be by another dis¬ 
ease, for if the student will carefully read the brief outlining his¬ 
tory of each of the above diseases, they may become well enough 
acquainted with each one of the morbid conditions, which, from 
special r ason, become diseases that are most perfectly classed ac¬ 
cording to the well known pathological history of which they be¬ 
long, and with this history comes every known complicational 
malady, and their probable terminations are shown in the most 
reliable and specific detail of what belongs to that specific disease, 
and when death destroys the further pathological history. Why 
should not the embalmer’s observation be made methodical and 
specific enough to at least enable themselves, and others skilled 
in the art, to provide better classification of the true physical con¬ 
ditions, as it relates to various morbid stages in primary condi¬ 
tions of putrescion ; for as physical conditions of life are related to 
diseases of a given class, so also will the physical condition be 
confined to that class of animal putrefaction which are dependent 
upon that class of body substances after death. 


Simple Chemistry of the Body Substances. 

Ingredients of the flesh—Water and Various Salts— 
which comprise various elements like hydrogen and oxy¬ 
gen, and the metals of the alkaline and earthy salts, 
like sulphur, phosphorus, chlorine and in general terms 
of the ingredients of mineral substances. 

The second class of body substances are classed by 
Dalton are hydro-carbonous substances and this adds 
carbon with the elements of hydrogen and oxygen and so 
the substances of this group are shown in starch, sugar 
and oil. 

Starch has the property of changing into sugar, sac- 
chrine matter or the starch transformed into glucose by 
the addition of water that is slightly acid or a similar 
chemical composite which may l3e continued for some 
hours, transposes the starch into a gelatinous mass 
which thickens and again is converted into dextrine and 
finally becomes sacchrine or sugar. It is said that glu¬ 
cose which is the representatives of sacchrine substan¬ 
ces occurs more frequently in the animal fluids than 
any other substance, and what we would have the readers 
to note is that as this starchy substance of the human 
body undergoes several changes and that by the removal 
of life's function a spontaneous change is then to follow by 
a process of fermentation with all the fluids of the body 
which contain the sweet substance. While it is true that 
saccharomyces ferment and germinate during life, in 
fact, are necessary to the normal functions of life itself, 



Baccilli. 


29 

vet, there comes several forms of specific animalcuation 
which are each due to a variety of conditions which 
cause them, after death. 

The fats, oils and adipose are the most important 
substances which resemble each other in general charac¬ 
ter, though differ mainly in the degree of consistency. 
Stearine, the first of these general varieties, being the 
most solid at ordinary temperature: palmitine holds an 
intermediate position and oline, the last one, is fluid, 
and this last fatty liquid, desolves both the stearine and 
palmitine and with the change which death makes, these 
fatty substances undergo the most rapid chemical trans¬ 
formation. And as we wrote “The Casket’* away back in 
the seventies, this colorless oily substance becomes as an 
emulsion, of all albuminous ingredients of the blood, and 
lymphatic substances of the body, by reason ot a process 
of animalculated fermentation due to the ratio of a 
given quantity and quality of what the fluids of the body 
ma} T be comprised of. Deceased bodies that possess fluids 
that are rich in the above substances, we would designate 
as saccra-albumic, for want of a better word by which 
to denote them, and it is this class of subjects which are 
liable to be composed of fine cell and tissue flesh struc¬ 
ture, while the emaceated, or more properly speaking 
the poverty, or watery fluids which disease or other 
causes may leave in other bodies do not possess, that sub¬ 
stances most necessary for the growth of micro-germ 
processes of decomposition. 

In order to explain why individuals may vary from 
time to time, we would say that Dalton tells us that large, 
stout people usually follow by hereditary laws, and the 
emaciated and sallow ones by the same reason, though 
the same person may vary at different times much in ac¬ 
cordance with their mode of life or that of the condition 
of the health, or disease may predispose an excessive 
adipose or the preponderence of fat, to that extent of an 
abnormal physique. While in other persons the most 
emaciated body condition may follow by reason that 
there are some persons who scientists say are physically 
incapable of taking starchy or sacchrine substances and 
converting them into fat or adipose tissues. While with 
another under the same diet will convert the same into 
fat, and possibly that of the most excessive character 
when obesity is the result. 


Bacterial Effect. 

As bacterial effects the decomposition of albumenoid 
matters by means of vegetable activity, purification is 



30 Embalminq Theory. 

limited by the same conditions. Bacteria, Carpenter 
tells us, belongs to the group of colorless cryptogamic 
plants or fungi. Like other fungus of this class, they 
assimilate organic substances ready formed, at the 
same time absorbing oxygen and exhaling carbonic 
acid by their animalculated putrifying infusion. 

As oxygen is the true scavenger of the earth, so it is, 
therefore, the first essential to the growth of the pro¬ 
cess by which putrifaction is carried on with, and what 
is more, is, that as all plant and fungi life is not possible 
without moisture and the required moderate tempera¬ 
ture. Purification may be suspended more or less indef¬ 
initely ; yet at the same time nature’s law provides a 
way by which to renew the work by which all organic 
substances may be reduced back into the primary ele¬ 
ment to which they belong, and purification is the first 
co-operative agent of the scavenger oxygen. 


Embalming Prognosis. 

Now,to discuss the important question properly,the laws 
of chemistry teach us that when two opposing bases come 
together that there is a chemical law which will bring 
about certain forces of combatibility and when once 
these two classes loose their coherent force, it is only 
when one or the other has been exhausted by the power 
or influence of the stronger one, or if equal in the base 
forces they may become as neutral. However, it is not 
purpose to take space necessary to show a detail of these 
two combatible elements further than to say since, that 
which now concerns the embalmers the most is to be 
studied under the class of body flesh and its fluid sub¬ 
stances. These are in such substance of the body and 
found to possess such chemical ingredients as may sooner 
or later become combatible by the well-known laws 
which control their elements. 

While nature’s laws are strange and deeply mysteri¬ 
ous, yet much of this mystery has been quite clearly de¬ 
fined by methods of study and observation, and by this 
way all progress of art and science has been brought up 
by so much of those laws which, properly speaking, be¬ 
long to the science of chemistry ; and now if the em- 
balmer would advance his professional knowledge as it 
ought to be done, then this may be accomplished by the 
same rule of method as by those of any other of the es¬ 
tablished sciences. 

We consider that the most cardinal governing points of 
embalming for both palative and general treatment will 
depend more largely upon the specific conditions of the 



31 


Body Fluids. 

fluid substances of the body and its corresponding 1 
flesh cellular structures, than will those bodies which 
heretofore have been denominated as large or corpulent, 
and in order to be fully understood we say that as all 
stages of animal decomposition are more or less depend¬ 
ant upon primary causes which follow primary condi¬ 
tions, and as putrescions are known to be variously in¬ 
volved by animalculations, each of which become spe¬ 
cific under specific causes, therefore, we as thermal 
and specific observers may see that all practical em¬ 
balming must be governed more or less by the same laws 
which produce these various classes and stages of either 
the sporific dissolution or the slower process of wasting 
decay. 

Substances under the name of alkaline phosphate are 
important ingredients of the human body. These alka¬ 
line salts are readily soluble in water though they exist 
in both the solid and fluids of the body; while on the 
other hand certain other substances are classed as hav¬ 
ing a strict acid reaction. This class of body fluids are 
the 

Gastric juice, acid. 

Perspiration, “ 

Mucus of the vagina, “ 

Urine. 

The other substances of the human body are the 
Blood plasma, alkaline. 

Fluids of muscular tissue, “ 

Synovia, “ 

Pericardial fluid, •“ 

Cephalo-rachidian fluid. 

Lymph, “ 

Aqueous humors, 

Mucous, “ 

Milk, 

Spermatic, 

Intestinal juice. “ 

B le, 

Saliva, 

Pancreatine juice. “ 

While it is true that this character of both the acid 
and the alkaline reaction, are those properly due to the 
normal condition of life, yet, there are ample evidence 
which go to show that this acid reaction, and the alka¬ 
line reaction, will each follow with more or less influence 
which by the first chemical action may lead to various 
other similar influences and so terminate with disast¬ 
rous consequences, which upon primary causes may be 
shown as due to some definable ingredients, which if so, 
may be shown to produce the same ratio of a destroying 


32 


Putrefying Substances. 

influence, and so follow with putrification and possible 
spontaneous dissolution within the body which contained 
what in the normal functions of the body, are the first 
elements of life but afterwards become the first elements 
of body distruction. 


Body Substances as it Relates to Putrefying Causes. 

Albumen of the blood. 

“ soluble in water. 

“ thickens and sours. 

forms carbonic acid gas. 

“ fungus growth of vegetable cell. 

“ “ not soluble in alkali. 

“ specific and rapid dissolution. 

Geletine substances of the body. 

“ thickens: soluble in water. 

“ putrifies; amonial gas. 

Blood plasma. 

Fibrine swells in weak acid and water. 

“ soluable in alkaline solution, 
coagulates in alcohol and becomes elastic. 

Corpuscels swell in water. 

“ thicken and ferment. 

“ saponify in alkaline solution. 

Lymph and albumen separate. 

Oleum softens and grows watery. 

“ saponifying alkaline solution. 

“ coagulates in alcohol. 

“ dissolves and grows gumy. 

Flesh decay may be cause by several primary reasons. 

Moisture foster moulds. Parasites. 

Acidity “ spores. 

Alkaline “ rancidity. 

' Water various gases. 

Alcoholic 

Etheric 

Producing fungus. 

fermentations. 

“ bacilli. 

Producing flesh wasting, ammonial gas. 

“ “ softening, carbonic gas. 

“ “ thickening, putridity. 

Sulphuric acid causes starchy substance matter to 
swell, it also thickens glucose. 

Citrate of mercury acid colors albuminous substances 
red. 

Albumin may be solid or fluid. 

The decomposition with caustic, alkali, 3’earld, car- 



33 


Putrefaction . 

bonic acid, and ammonia gas, oxalic acid, sulphurous 
acid and other products of decomposition. 

Albumin dries like gelatin—absorbs water and swells 
Slow, continuous heat influences it and suppuration fol¬ 
lows with the rapid destruction of every substance 
around it after death. 

Drj r albuminoid does not putrefy. 

When exposed to moisture the body softens and 
Anally decomposes. No substance is said to be cap¬ 
able of putrefaction without it contains albumin. Fetid 
gases are due to more or less albumic substances. 

Hydrogen Sulphide, Carbide Ingredients. 

Carbonic Acid, Nitrogen and Ammonia, Albuminoid, 
Putrefaction requires, oxygen and moisture. Moderate 
temperature. 

The process of putrefaction in albuminoids is said to 
be analogous to that which causes alcoholic fermentation, 
mucuo germs, Bacterium—and like forms the putrefying 
infusions—spontaneous growth of reproduction. 

There are several classes of albumin matter—several 
ferment multifens. 

Stages of body decay—Lactic acidity, carbon gas. 

Amonical gas. 

Phospho sulphate gas. 

Alcoholic 3’east causes Fermentation. 

Etheral Spore “ Fungus. 

Moisture “ Bacilli. 

Putridity, flesh softening, moisture. 

“ thickening, water, gas. 

“ wasting, water, gas and mucous. 

Glucose—its fermenting action is due to that action. 

Starch—of fungus. Plant cell life called 

Glycogen—saccaromyces. 

Fats. 

Varieties of fat—slightly soluble in alcohol. 

Stearine—freel}' soluble in ether. 

Palmitine—saphonified by alcohol. 

Oline—coagulated by acid. 

Water and oil. 

“ “ albumen. 

The embalmer should carefully study the following 
by making daily observances which the author believes 
sooner or later will lead them to some new and valua¬ 
ble discovery by which to govern their own practices. 

First.—The fullness of the blood vessels. 

“ “ lymphatic vessel. 

“ capillary vessel. 

Second.—The fluid state of the blood. 

Tendency of the sacchrine, (sugar.) 

“ “ albuminous. 


34 


Body Appearances . 

Tendency of the gelatine. 

“ “ glucose. 

“ “ oil globules, (fatty matter.) 

“ “ uraemic. 

“ u white corpusels. 

“ “ red corpusels. 

“ “ fibrinous. 

“ “ poverty, (watery blood.) 

Third.—Flesh texture—dry 

“ “ moist. 

“ grain—fine. 

“ k ‘ porous. 

“ cells - soft, oily, tender. 

“ “ rough, dry, expansive. 

Fourth.—Rapid dissolution and putridity followed by 
the cadeavic softening of the flesh tissues dependent 
upon moisture, air and warmth. The exclusion of all 
three of these principles will retard the process of disso¬ 
lution. 

Fifth.—Observe that soft, fine grain, moist and oily 
flesh cells are tender and as these fluid substances are 
sweet, albuminous and oily they sour and so rapidly 
does this fermentation take place that the whole capil¬ 
lary system and lymphatic glands become involved in 
amonicals, fluids and gases, and if we would supply any 
chemical reagent this must be by prompt and a thorough 
application of embalming .solution, through means of 
embalming surgical operation and the specific drug 
which will control the body substances by the true laws 
of cause and effect, and in order to accomplish this the 
specific causes of putrition within a given substance 
must be met by such chemicals as are shown to produce 
the desired effect that is required to arrest the process 
of body dissolution. 

Sixth.—Note that dry, porous and expansive, course 
grain flesh tissue, may always be successfully treated by 
the embalming process, provided only, that the chemical 
reagents do not antagonize the body fluid and flesh cell 
substances, and so destroy them instead of embalming 
them. And what is further, the embalming opera¬ 
tion must be completed by the surgical operation to the 
extent that all remote substances be placed in direct 
contact with the neutralizing and correcting influence 
of the embalming solution. 


Appearances at Time of Death. 

Anaemia, - - * - - - - pale, marble-like. 

Congestion of the brain, fever, etc. - - flushed. 



Physica l Obst met io > i s 


35 


bright fluid, 
purple or livid. 

yellow. 

blue, 
sallow, 
almost black. 


Hectic fever, (deep, low fever,) 

Low fever, - - - - 

Jaundice, billious fever, yellow fever, 

Collapse, cholera, cyanosis, 

Chlorosis,. 

Asphyxia,. 

Great emaciation generally occurs with all deaths 
ending chronic diseases, and this is sometimes brought 
rapidly on by diarrhoea, dysentery, etc., and there is 
sometimes a most astonishing change which occurs in 
the adipose tissue, and in the plumpness and roundness 
which may cause flabbiness and shrunken appearances of 
the body after death. Especially is this so with children 
as extreme and rapid changes are more general with the 
young than those of middle life and it must be said that 
the color of the skin varies much in diseases as shown 
above, while the general disturbance of the excretion 
and other fluids of the body ma}^ be determined to quite 
a measurable degree by the above characterized signs. 

With diseases like those caused by an inactive kidney, 
urenic poisoning causes death by coma and often con- 
vultions precede death and under certain diseased class¬ 
es, this renal disturbances will leave a large portion of 
uric fluid in the blood vessels. One class of this disease 
may cause an acid base, while another disease leaves an 
alkaline base. 


Morbid and Physical Obstructions. 

•There cannot be any complete embalment made by 
injecting the arteries and veins when there are obstruc¬ 
tions: and as all the organs of the body may become ob¬ 
structed through either disease or injury, and as every 
class of disease is shown to cause some specific or local 
disorder while carrying on its morbid attack, and this so 
often to that extent that some one or more of the organs 
of the body may be destroyed, much in accordance to the 
known morbid character peculiar to each class of dis¬ 
ease, and if embalming may be made so complete as to 
overcome all these disorganized internal body sub¬ 
stances, it must be done by the most careful steps of 
method, and so all these morbid conditions should be 
studied by that class to which they belong. 

Post-Mortem.—When the embalmer is conducting an 
examination with the view of determining what special 
embalming operation ma}^ be the best, there will always 
be more or less importance found in each of the great 
cavities, the head, the chest and the abdomen. 

With the first there may be shown almost every 
defect with the body. Black face, thickened lips, en- 



36 Physical Obstructions. 

gorged neck and many other ghastly conditions which 
may intervene and much of this by either single or col¬ 
lective causes coming from various natural causes like 
that of swollen viscera of the thorax or of the abdomen, 
or possibly may be caused by the condition of the brain 
or spine like that of souring body fluids, gases, etc. 

The Thorax should be studied with a view of deter¬ 
mining whether there be any abscess, ruptured artery or 
vein, by fluid infiltration or free gases contained in or 
around the viscera. 

The Abdomen should be studied to determine not 
alone the possibility of abscesses, ruptured arteries or 
veins, fluid infiltration or free gases in or around the ab¬ 
dominal viscera, but with a view also of determining 
possible stranguary obstructions: sexes if woman’s disor¬ 
der, like that of ovarian or foetal disorders. 

What to look for, and how to prove cannot be shown 
in this chapter, but the reader may aid his knowledge 
greatly by becoming familiar with all the denominate 
features of death ending results by studying closely and 
faithfully each chapter of death by diseases of the 
Organs of respiration, 

“ circulation, 

“ digestion, 

and such other diseases as are given in that department 
of the book. 


Obstructions Which May be Caused by Disease or Injury. 

Of the Brain—May be caused by blood clot, mucor- 

inees, liquification. 

Arteries - Rupture, clots, abscess, adhesion. 

Viscera—Softening, perforation, infiltration. 

Stomach and bowels - Rupture, obstruction, 
perforation. 

Cavities—Adhesion, perforation, infiltration. 

Adipose—Liquification. 

Ovarian—Tumors, innumerable pus or fluid 
sack and false membranes. 

Foetal—False membrane, leakage, perforation, 
rupture. 

External—Superficial and deep fasciae, muscle, 
adhesion, cadeavic softening. 

Theoretic.—Signs to be determined by inspection— 
general expansion. Local bulging of the chest is usually 
upon one side only, and may be caused by g’ases, puru¬ 
lent fluids or thickening of the flesh tissue of the viscera, 
from deseases like 

Pleuretic effusion, (See Diseases.) 



37 


Modes of Death. 

Pneumothorax, a condition in which water, air or 
other gas is present in the cavity of the chest. 
Emphysema of the lung, inflammation or a condition 
produced by gas or air diffused in the cellular 
tissue. 

Aneurism, cancer, etc., or more rarely by 
Hydrothorax, accumulation of serous fluid in chest. 
Pneumonia, 

Incipient tuberculization. 

Local depression of thethoratic walls may result from 
diseases like 

Absorption of the pleurilic effusion, 

Consumption, 

Pleuro pneumonia, 

Cancer of the lung. 

Abdominal signs to be determined by inspection of 
various general or local engorgments of the abdominal 
cavity surface as may be caused by diseases like 
Dropsy, 

Congestion of the bowels, 

Flatulency, (colic,) 

Peritonitis, (See Fig. 28.) 

Gastritis, 

Hepatites, impregnated with sulphurated h} r dro- 
gen gas—this may be a condition of the liver. 
Ovarian tumor, 

Enlarged liver or spleen, 

Bright’s diseases, 

Albuinary, 

Pregnancy, 

False foetal accumulation, 

Fluid accumulation, 

Ammonical gases, 

Carbonic gases. 


Modes of Death. 

Dr. Hartshorn says death may occur by Asthenia, the 
natural forces of the system being exhausted or de¬ 
stroyed so that the heart ceases to beat—as in lightning 
stroke, poisoning by prussic acid, etc. 

Syncope (fainting) simulates or threatens asthenia. 

Death by Aneamia: When the blood is rendered in¬ 
sufficient for life—as from hemorrhage, after labor, surgi¬ 
cal injuries or the bursting of some artery as in anur- 
isms, etc. 

Death by Apncea, or asphyxia, is by the arrest of res¬ 
piration (breathing), either from disease of the lungs, 
obstruction of the air passages, defficiency or impurity 
of the air. 



38 


Proofs of Death. 

Death by Coma. The brain and medulla being- made 
incapable of sustaining- innervention—as in apoplexy, 
opium poisoning, etc. Sudden death may occur from 

Apoplexy, 

Valvular hear disease, 

Rupture of heart (syncope) in fatty degeneration. 

Bursting of an anurism, or abscess within the 
thorox or abdomen. 

By suffocation, 

Violent mental shock or alarm. 


Proofs of Death. 

All-discreet and conservative embalniers know that it becomes their 
duty, when by reason of their professional calling, they are required to 
examine the dead preparatory for embalming-, for a due observence of 
every case in examining- the dead, should be made, and this b3 r the 
most exacting and positive proofs, which show two or more signs of 
death’s undeniable marks. Many prominent persons have been heard 
to say that they would not like to'be embalmed, and that they would not 
permit any member of their family being embalmed. When asked for 
the principal reason, they’wo Id reply by saying: “What if they were 
not dead?” In replying to the question, we might ask, what would be 
the horror, if they or anyone else should be buried alive? as some writ¬ 
ers have heretofore tried to show has been done at certain stated inter¬ 
vals. Now, the truth is that all such matter is sought and read as 
sensational matter, but this is all wrong, since the very r idea is f alsely 
cultivated n the minds of some unfortunate believer. Better evidence 
of the actual truth should be required before the press publish such a 
wrong. It can be nothing less than a criminal act upon the part of 
some one, who, either through evil design or carelessness, would make 
such a blunder as to bury anyone alive. But suppose the subject is not 
dead? as my friend said. The professional embalmer of today is an 
honest and intelligent man. His proofs of death are good. But sup¬ 
pose he should be mistaken and begin operations for embalming the 
body? The very first cut of the knife 'would startle the nervous system and so 
rally the vital forces ; but should this fail, the modern embalmer will 
take up an artery as nicely as the surgeon, perhaps, and on opening the 
artery the blood would spurt should there be a spark of life within that 
body. In such a case the embalmer would tie the artery and call for 
the doctor. Il may be seen that all those who may fear the horrors of 
being buried alive, may rest assured that the greatest security against 
it would be to employ some honorable and cultivated embalmer. These 
men know that they would make a great name by timely saving some 
one at the last opportunity. 

Death Proofs.—A complete cessation of the func¬ 
tions of the lungs and the complete cessation of the 
heart together cannot be resuscitated at any time 
after one hour’s duration. 

When these two signs are known to have existed for 
even a few minutes, there can be no mistake in the proof 
of death. In order to further prove that there is no life, 
a looking glass placed over and near the mouth and nose 
would show specks of moisture in a few seconds after¬ 
wards, provided, there was any feeble breath existing 
to give life with. Dead people do not breath, and live 
people do not stop breathing except in certain brief 
spells of catalepsy which is marked by unconsciousness 
and fixed rigidit}" of all or many of the voluntary muscles, 



39 


Proofs of Death. 

and maladies peculiar to that of asthenic disorders, 
epileptic, or poverty of the blood making' functions of 
the body. While convulsions are usually caused by fever 
or some over nervous excitement which may end in death 
after many hours of unconsciousness. Yet, death proofs 
are not to be mistaken when both the heart and lungs 
cease the life continuing operations. 

There are six principal proofs of death: 

1st. - Cessation of breathing. 

2nd.—Cessation of heart action. 

3rd.—The eyes are set in a glassy stare. 

4th.—All the joints and muscle become fixed. 

5th.—The flesh surface is cold and clammy. 

6th.—The bod}?- heat passes steadily away. 

Observe that 

A livid face is not a proof of death. 

Lingering warmth is no proof that the body is alive. 

The deathly aspect of the face may or may not be a 
proof of actual death. 

D. —Taking up any artery would shock a living person, 
and if not, the arterial blood would spirt no matter how 
feeble the heart’s action might be. 

E. —The feeblest breath would set a light feather into 
action when placed at the nose. 

F. —The skin would be flexible and pliant. 

G. —The finger joints and wrists would be flexible if 
the person was alive—excepting spasms. 

Doubtful Theory.—All voluntary or involuntary ces¬ 
sation of life functions are said to be possible, but the 
author has as j^et found no proof of it further than that 
produced by some fit or convulsion having only a few 
hours duration at most, and it is only persons of the 
greatest ignorance who could or would have pronounced 
such persons as being dead, while undergoing such pros¬ 
trating attacts. 

Cbe delations of ZTTorbtb pathology to tfye 

Science of (Embalming. 

— 

While Renonard, Sullivan, and other writers upon the subject 
of embalming have laid down several good general rules for gov¬ 
erning the inspection of the dead, yet the author has not seen 
any suggestion which would follow the inspection as deeply into 
the" question for denominating classes and descriptions of the 
various stages of putrescion, as now required for their proper 
guidance and advancement. 

As rational medicine is shown to have become specifically de¬ 
nominated by its class, and this for diseases of specific classes, 




40 


Physical Signs. 

so also will follow by the same rule of intellectual reasoning, at 
least the author believes that embalming drug reagents must 
be classed for uses that correspond with the given stages of body 
dissolution. 

If embalming is a progressive science, then there must be a 
prognosis, which will follow with each physical sign, and each of 
these signs must be so clearly described that each one will denom¬ 
inate a fixed principle belonging to that class by the one or more 
indications which each one may show, as caus d by the bodily 
condition that governs the various stages and processes of decay 
that follow the line of each class. 

By intellectual reasoning we mean that by a close inspection 
of each body some one will discover a new sign and several ob¬ 
servers will each contribute something, and finally there will fol¬ 
low new observances of certain class signs, and these will be so 
cleverlv described as to denominate the' primary indications of 
some true sign, as it may point out some special class or specie of 
animalculated or non-animalculated flesh or fluid substances more 
or less peculiar to a governable or non-governable process of 
body dissolution. 

In the past we have been observant of the many physical 
signs, but we must couple the physical signs with so many in¬ 
dicating signs, and then the e-mbalmer’s diagnosis may become a 
better guide to direct them by new methods for general or special 
treatment. 

When our knowledge of disease will enable us to know the 
true state, or the varied stages of the internal disarrangement 
consequentive upon known morbid causes, then there will be 
shown many external physical signs, though each of these may 
be dependent upon two or more proofs. Yet we may soon be 
able to class every single observation in such a way as to enable 
ourselves and others of the profession to supply more practical 
remedies in every case. 

As various symptoms are known to denote certain specific 
diseases peculiar to each variety of symptoms, so also may be 
shown that various indications may yet show us how various 
death marks may, and no doubt will be so specifically described 
that sooner or later our profession will be able to govern all em¬ 
balming proceedings by true methods and better modes of treating 
each one upon the more practical ways, and by that fundamental 
law principle requires according to its class—as may then be seen 
by two or more signs that indicate and shows certain fixed 
stage conditions that always follow by stated progress into results 
of a known fixed termination. 

When a careful examination of the body and its surroundings 
will not reveal some death mark as sign to show what was the 
actual causes of death, then by all means, ask someone who 
knows something of the history of the case, and possibly a word 
of knowledge concerning the case for the last day of so may 
enable us to comprehend the true condition, or may do so 


41 


Physical Signs. 

when coupled with what may be seen by the physical signs. 

Great emaciation and dry cold flesh may soften and putrify, 
but after the gases are dispersed, or proper vents have been pro¬ 
vided, simple reagents may then embalm some of these bodies, 
but this is not always the case. Why? Because of some one or 
more kinds of micro-organism which may take place under such 
class or conditions that there must be both special chemicals and 
special operations in order to destroy the specific action of such 
putrefying agents. 

Emaciated bodies when soft and damp are already in a state 
ot putrifaction, especially so if the body heat has all passed off. 
Baccilli. 

After death by disease like cholera morbus there may or 
may not be any bodily emaciation, while gastric and bilary secre¬ 
tions may remain within the body. 

Cholera Malignant -Copious water fluid (rice water). 
Bilious Fever—Altered mucus bile, (fetid) etc. 

Yellow Fever—Black vomit, etc. 

Ulcer of Stomach—Mucus, lymph and blood. 

Cancer of Stomach—Mucus, lymph and blood. 

Disease of the Brain—General. 

Bright’s Disease —General. 

Strangulated Hernia—Fetid gas. 

Gangrene of the Lungs—Putrid. 

Phthisis—Muco purulent blood. 

DEATH BY 

1. Asthenia—Exhaustion or loss of the vital forces. 

Syncope —Fainting. 

2. Anaemia—Privation of the blood. 

Characterized by every sign of debility. 

Also diminished quantity of fluid in the capillary 
vessels. 

Emaciated condition. 

Scarcity of red corpusels of the blood. 

2. Apncea— Absence of respiration. 

Asphyxia—Suffocation, want of air. 

Nonconversion of the venous blood of the lungs 
into arterial blood. 

Stagnation of the blood taken place in the pul¬ 
monary capillaries. 

For want of oxygen, as in gas poison, or in 
drowning, hanging, etc. 

4. Coma— A deep sleep; sleep of death. 

Brain forces lost. 

Apoplexy - Some internal hemorrhage. 

Sudden death may not follow. 

The jugular veins are usually extended during 
syncope (fainting spell). 

There are four distinct classes of apoplexy. 

See Diseases. 


42 lie ago its 

The Chemistry of Anti-Septic and Embalming Remedies. 

There are numerous compounds upon the market as combined 
anti-septic and embalming remedies, some of which are worthy of 
no small consideration, but the author has not been commissioned 
to specially deal with either of them as all of them are proprietary 
remedies and vary in the standard of quality much in accordance 
with the personality of those engaged in selling them. 

Speaking of ‘ k Free Chemicals,” and we may say that all 
remedies which may be used to destroy microbes or moelific germs 
and to prevent or arrest septic process as anti-septic or germacides 
may or may not combine into a useful embalming fluid. 

Many of the very best anti septics now known to that science 
cannot be used to make such a fluid compound as the public now 
requires. A sample of such drugs and chemicals may be shown 
in the statement of a very few of them. Permanganate of pot¬ 
ash, sulphur, chlorene gasses or the other compounds like the 
bromides and chlorides; then comes iodiform, eucalyptus and a 
great many others which are known as posessing some specific 
property that gives them some quality as an anti-septic, yet, for 
various reasons they cannot be made as practical remedies either 
singly or by any known combination of them for the embalmers 
use, because of first, their combating tendencies when combined 
with other body substances, or if useful in one case, they will de¬ 
stroy another subject entirely. 

The sciences tell us that those remedies are entitled anti-septic 
which are employed to arrest fermentation process, and this same 
science shows of the generally admitted facts that every kind of 
fermentation is co-relative of the growth and multiplication of a 
living organism, and further, we are told that it is by various 
ways that the morbific process is fostered and so become various 
distinct species classes of microzymes, and that all bacteria either 
stands in a consequentive relation to the morbid process, or are nec¬ 
essary to its evolution and development in forming all kinds and 
classes of putridity and decay, and especially is this true with all 
that class of substance like that of saccharine and albumenous 
matter, as this, and similar classes enter into the composition of 
animal flesh and are co-relative substances that foster various 
kinds of micro-germs that will multiply more or less rapidly and 
so destroy the body before this danger can be diverted by a chem¬ 
ical agent to destroy them. 

In order for the embalmer to fully understand the commanding 
importance of this subject, it would' be necessary to take up the 
known science as this is detailed by several authors like Virchow 
on the subject of “ Morbid Pathology.” This would give the 
embalmer a first step to a knowledge of that subject which today 
becomes an important question and one by which to govern its 
future science in methods for treating putrescence, for if there are 
shown to be various stages of disease which are dependent upon a 
class or a specie of pathological organism which in their severalty 
result in death, and now as the embalmer’s special science of 


43 


Reagents. 

methods must commence here; when all this art must be rested 
upon something; then what is it to be? Only one process for 
this multitude of di sease resultances ? If it is to be this and noth¬ 
ing more, all science and all discretion would say that the only 
single and safe process would be to burn all these unfortunate 
victims of disease and death, and this for the benefit of the public 
health as a sensible measure of sanitary science, because it is true 
that no single process, or single drug, or compound has been 
made to do the work of correcting all the resultant stages as seen 
in various poisonous conditions as they come from the various 
stages of putrifving deceased bodies which we are required to em¬ 
balm. 

Now, in as much as it is true that a special surgical em¬ 
balming operation may give greater completeness to the embalm- 
ent of any case, so, in the same ratio ought we to begin the true 
study for drugs and remedies which scientific observation shows as 
possessing specific properties which qualify them in special instan¬ 
ces of special disease classes. 

As the laws which nature sets forth by specific causes has be¬ 
come known to control and direct a given course by reason of 
morbific tendencies, why not so with the governing principle of 
such physical dissolution as well ? While the morbid process of 
a given kind ended in death, why not so by this same process or 
its relative consequence? and yet, by this means be so far traced 
as to show the more important features which may or may not 
become evolved in one or more distinct classes of dissolution. 
As we know that all dissolution are not alike, then why? is it be¬ 
cause of the various physical condition, or is it because of the pri¬ 
mary morbid condition, which, though the relative process of dis¬ 
ease consequences, end in one form or by various forms. As there 
are but one specific class which is peculiar to a given disease, yet, 
after death there may be several varieties of dissolution and pu- 
trescing forms. Then why is this so? Is this because of some 
disease complications, or is all dependent upon the physical condi¬ 
tions of the subject to be embalmed, or to go further, is it because 
of the atmospheric surroundings ? These are hard questions, yet 
some one must answer them, and these questions are each open and 
demanding that some one shall answer them by some fixed deffi- 
nition of each one, and this only by methods that can stand upon 
something more than theory. As the embalming science of today 
requires a long line of simple, yet specificaly demonstrated facts in 
order to give true methods for embalming all classes and condi¬ 
tions of deceased bodies as they should be. 

Now, in what form putrifaction commences within a given 
body and under a given condition of disease, each with their var¬ 
ious forms of septical poison, is yet to deeply involved in theory 
both for the embalmer’s uses as well as for the physician’s 
sciences; and while the highest scholars are experimenting in these 
special sciences as they are also called for by the requirements of 
medicine. The modern embalmer should strive for that class of 


44 Bacteriology. 

these special sciences and remedies which are now required for 
the advancement of this profession. 

While it is true that the embalming profession has many val¬ 
uable methods and processes for embalming the dead, the demands 
of true progress require that we should go into the highest plains 
of knowledge, and as we study for something higher, we should 
not loose sight of the things which are now before us, for it is not 
from what we expect that we may boast, but it should be bv the 
true methodical applications of what we already have, if we 
would become practical and successful embalmers. 

While anti-septic chemistry is closely allied to that of embalm¬ 
ing chemistry, yet we are compelled because of so many other in¬ 
tricacies to "study the question of embalment if we would de¬ 
termine upon better methods to govern our practice when engaged 
in that work, while we leave sanitation to the direction of the 
physicians. 

'With a thorough knowledge of diseases as they are related to 
the physical derangement, we find that methods of instrumenta¬ 
tion becomes of the greatest importance, and the question of em¬ 
balming chemistry involves the whole matter and one which all 
future results must rest. 


Uncertain (Jettons of (Efyemicals upon putre= 
fytng Ctnimalculation. 


By special sanitary science we are shown certain classes of 
remedies that not only prevent putridity or poisonous septic con¬ 
ditions, but these may also counteract many classes of septic poi¬ 
son, not only within the body embalmed but also to a limited ex¬ 
tent with the atmosphere of a given space, yet, this is not all that 
is true as may be shown at a recent meeting of the Amsterdam 
Royal Academy of Sciences, M. Foster treated of the influence of 
our common salt on the life of pathogenic bacteria and stated from 
many and varied experiences, he had come to the conviction that, 
“whereas, cholera baccilli are very sensible to that salt, and when 
brought into contact with it, very soon die, but the typhoid and 
pyrogentic bacteria and baccilli of tuberculosis and cattle distem¬ 
per may remain for months buried in common salt with¬ 
out losing their power of growth and reproduction.” The salt¬ 
ing of butcher’s meat may, therefore, in some cases prove ineffect¬ 
ual. M. Foster went further ard exhibited some preparations ob¬ 
tained in the hygenic laboratory which went to prove that neither 
the baccilli or tuberculosis nor cholera baccilli can develop under 
the influences of iodoform vapor. He says further that, “ it may 
be shown that a remedy which in diseases may possses great an¬ 
tiseptic power, yet they may have no quality worthy of note 




Bacteriology. 45 

when brought to bear upon substances though of a similar life as 
found in decaying- flesh matter. 1? 

With the results of experiments made in Berlin by Prof. Uffel- 
mann show that cholera baccilli remained alive in water from one 
to six days; in butter, six days; in cabbage, three days; on a 
postal card, twenty-four hours after drying, while on silver or 
copper they die in half an hour. It is also shown that no living 
germ can resist the antiseptic power of essence of cinnamon for 
more than a few hours, is the conclusion of M. Chamberland as 
the result of prolonged research and experiment in M. Pasteur’s 
laboratory, and this is said to destroy microbes as effectually if not 
as rapidly as corrosive sublimate. 

Now, again we have shown a remedy of known and positive 
power of germacides when administered in a given form, as all 
such experiments are based upon nothing but true laws. But, 
when we look upon some of the remedies, such as has been of¬ 
fered through certain professed aspirants to our profession, what 
testimony of authority has ever been given or shown farther than 
that of some egotistical and aspiring person who have more re¬ 
gards for notoriety than they have for professional truthfulness. 
Now, as professional people, what can we expect in the way of 
true advancement of the sciences so long as we give countenance 
and patronage to such misleading representations? Is it not time 
to look about us for the true principles of working results, not 
only in a better classification of diseases and their indivualized 
consequences? Then again, let us look into the compound which 
are made with innumerable combinations of drugs thrown togeth¬ 
er without any regard to their combative tendencies, and so one 
property may be absorbed into an opposing element to destroy 
rather than embalm the body as we are told it will do. As 
both Pasteur and Foster tell us that a remedy which works an 
antiseptic result upon diseased bodies in life, may become the 
most active agents in a destruction of that body when deprived 
of its vitality to counteract it. And our own experiences show 
this being reasonably true, what possible good results can be ex¬ 
pected from any single or compounded remedy that spring up 
without a show of possessing any active principal, or posessing 
any property for equivocal results? All intelligent embalmers 
should know there can certainly be no good to come from a drug 
solution which by its nature becomes a combatting element to the 
cells which go to" make up flesh tissue, because, in this a destroy¬ 
ing influence is brought to bear by new chemical changes, and 
so the tendency is to break down or soften the tissue, and 
thus the most putrelescent forms of decay are incited. While 
this may be slow in some, in others it may be stimulated by 
these seemingly harmless drugs to that extent that almost spon¬ 
taneous destruction is shown, when we are resting quietly upon 
our belief that as we embalmed one body and had no trouble after 
using that embalming solution, the one case in hand will keep 
since it has the same fluid treatment, and so it now becomes 


46 Embalming Autopsy. 

clearly shown that the embalmer should be able to see by some 
physical sign what was likely to follow each case. 

"Perhaps it would do to tell some people that one kind of pill 
would cure all manner of diseases, yet this would not be believed 
by men who are intelligent enough to become good, practical em- 
balmers. 

While there are many known drugs and chemical combina¬ 
tions or compounds which are to be acknowledged as embalming 
remedies, yet each one of these must be classed as posessing spe¬ 
cific qualities for specific purposes, if we would acknowledge the 
truth of all nature’s laws, as disease results from a specific cause. 
There are found certain remedies which are shown to possess the 
property of or specific elements which may, under certain condi¬ 
tions, be made to repell the att^cts of that disease, because of cer¬ 
tain fixed principles of nature’s law which commingle the chemi¬ 
cal elements with the abnormal forces of the disease, and this to 
that extent that the vital forces may be restored to the normal 
condition of life through the careful and theoretical manage¬ 
ment of the doctors 

So many classes of diseases are today resting in the most 
explicit forms,-and side by side of these comes innumerable reme¬ 
dies which are shown to be of the most practical utility, and this 
not alone in medicine but specific laws of chemistry moulds the 
way to all other science and as the modern demands require mod¬ 
ern science in the world of embalming. This science requires 
new phylospohical experiments in order to elucidate new light of 
these truths of embalming chemistry in order to meet these new 
demands which are being of this art and as Prof. Rudolph Vir¬ 
chow, of Berlin took up the unfinished work of Hunter, Loebig 
and others in completing the work of morbid pathology, so may 
some physiological writer take and complete the science of “Pu- 
trescation,” and show us new and better methods of embalm¬ 
ing chemistry. 


(theory of progressive (Embalming necropsy. 


See Physical Hinderence. 

Science shows us how that a rapid and quite uncontrollable 
dissolution will take place in deceased bodies which appear similar 
to another body that has been kept nicely and without causing 
any trouble whatever—and while these have caused such a deep 
mystery in the past to so many embalmers throughout the 
country, it ought not to be so with those who will now take the 
trouble to learn of the governing reasons which are the primary 
causes of various forms of rapid dissolution since there are known 
to be several classes of them. 

The embalmer should know that there are many primary facts 




47 


Embalming Autopsy. 

which, as natural surroundings, that become the governing prin¬ 
ciple of each case, and in order for them to be able to understand 
the various situations they should know what analytical science 
show as the first law principle of both animal and vegetable 
decay. 

When we duly consider the various substances of which flesh 
and blood are comprised, we may be able to comprehend the ele¬ 
ments of both the physical structure and conditions, as well as to 
know the evolution, which by nature’s law must bring about, 
sooner or later, yet dependent in the main upon and by that force 
of structural conditions which become co-relative to the primary 
cause. 

It is true that it has only been recently that the scientist dis¬ 
covered means by which to fully determine and class the many 
kinds of sporific or bacterial causes of dissolution ; and now that 
we know the fluid constituents of the human body, and that the 
flesh tissues are cells composed of gelatin, Sacarine and albumin¬ 
ous substances that are fastened into fatty oil substances, and the 
blood lymph and flesh juices of the body correspond with various 
proportions of these substances and a large per cent, of water, we 
may then be able to see why one deceased body will not keep just 
as well as one that may appear to be similar in "all outward appear¬ 
ances, for now we should know that these bodies are not alike, 
though heretofore they have been supposed to be alike; in other 
words, we have supposed that flesh was flesh and that blood was 
blood, but now we must consider that there are many causes and 
reasons which make both to vary, and so become correspondingly 
dependent upon natural laws of phvsical structure, and by this we 
have various flesh and blood compositions. 

By this we are to understand that all forms of flesh dissolu¬ 
tion are now to be considered by a new theory, which shou'd be 
set forth as the embalmers’ methods by which to denominate 
several classes of flesh putrescation or decay. If what we have 
said be fairly shown as true, why shouldn’t there be some true 
methods devised by which to class the various physical condi¬ 
tions of the dead, and one that would correspond more definitely 
to the predisposing conditions of each case. 

As diseases are different, and are also more or less dependent 
upon the physical condition of the patient, so will be the different 
processes of decay, and this in a far greater measure than has 
heretofore been believed by both the physician and the modern 
embalmer. 

We ventured this theory some eighteen years ago, and fully 
believe that the time is not far distant when it shall be amply sus¬ 
tained , and this to that extent where all inspective diagnosis 
will be by observing the death causes first, and flesh structure 
next and from this base all treatment of both chemical and oper¬ 
ative, and become more or less specific in the sense of indicated 
remedies. 

In reviewing this subject cannot we see and know how it is 


48 Embalming Autopsy. 

that the flesh of a robust child is not like the firmer substance of 
flesh tissue of an adult. The first has a soft, round and full flesh 
cell texture as it is growing and full of ventalizing flesh fluids, 
and are under nature’s process of building up flesh cells, which 
the chemist says are loaded with sugar and oils, as spoken of 
above. While the ways of life with the adult has matured and 
so has materially changed these functions for more vitalizing sub¬ 
stances of strength, and by this dropping the sacarine and al¬ 
buminous substances in part; but to go further, children do not 
all grow alike and adults do not all live alike, yet the physician 
tells us that in either case the normal condition may be considered 
and healthy. And now to show a point we may see two classes 
of flesh structure in the children and two or more kinds of flesh 
tissue in the adult. Death by accident in either of these individu¬ 
als will result in pulselescing condition dependent and co-relative 
with the normal flesh and fluid substances of each body. 

Death by disease will result in process of decay co-relative 
with the abnormal flesh and fluid substances that remain in vari¬ 
ous stages of interruption and therefore may be set at wide vari- 
enc and deficiency, both in quantity and quality of flesh and fluids 
of the body from "the enlarged down to the dry bones, and we are 
also told by scientists that the most common process of decompo¬ 
sition in all substances like the normal fluids of the human 
body are known to be composed of, will result in the formation of 
lactic acid, and with the acid formation is developed the same 
species of bacteria that causes it, but as these cease to grow we 
find their places are supplied in turn by other spores, until several 
other species of bacteria are produced, each having different char¬ 
acteristics. As we said above, all this multitude were seemingly 
dependent upon the lactic acid for the beginning; and so with the 
result which follows by various diseases. We may trace each 
by its species, from the harmless ones to those species which be¬ 
come the most dangerous poisons, for it has become a generally 
accepted fact that all contagious or infectious diseases are due to 
a specific cause which belongs to some specific species of micro¬ 
scopic vegetable life. 

The scientific classes to which these little objects belong is the 
fungi, the special name being bacteria, or in common parlance, 
“germs.” 

It is not possible to here go into any lengthy description 
of the many varieties of these germs, since Pasteur, Huxley, 
Liebey, and others have long ago done this in the highest sense 
of this special science. But we desire to say to embalmers that 
whatever the body fluid substances may be composed of at the 
time of death, these substances, by reason of natural laws, will 
take on such revolving changes as are peculiarly governed by 
each. When the flesh juices and cells abound in sacarine and 
albuminous substances, lactic acid will soon result after the func¬ 
tion of life has ceased, and can no longer maintain the normal 
condition, nature sets to work to remove it, but what the reader 


49 


Embalming A utopsy. 

wants to know is what chemical will stay this work of nature. 
And we answer that salicylic acid will stop the lactic acid fermen¬ 
tation, and so will boracic acid and alcohol. When once we may 
he able to supply remedies for such substances, or if we seal 
the body thoroughly away from the air before certain other germs 
set to work, the body fluids will not sour. Thus we see by this 
that the air plays no small partin flesh dissolution. And now as 
the flesh structure, the fine-grained soft tissue, or the coarse and 
porous or fibrous texture of flesh, each present differing qualities, 
and while the last one may be embalmed in a very satisfactory 
way by those skilled in the art, yet there must be a very thor¬ 
ough special treatment in order to embalm and keep the remains 
of the first, and so it will be found by so many varieties and 
classes of diseases, because of the various physical conditions 
which supply the primary cause for an endless variety which are 
shown to multiply in classes of germs, or bactera, and so destroy 
every vestige of the body. The reader should study Fig. 25 , as 
this shows the deep flesh glands of the lymphatic system, while 
Fig. 30 will show or explain the veins and mesenteric system, 
and so by carefully studying the normal components of the human 
body all can more fully understand the work before they under¬ 
take to apply chemical reagents by the various methods that may 
be shown as necessary, under various circumstances, which dis¬ 
ease or other physical condition may indicate, and it is these 
which all should study to render the most complete by the most 
simple ways which can be devised to accomplish a good and com¬ 
plete embalment, and so the most intricate work will be made 
practical by the simplest methods of working processes. Then to 
make embalming progressive, see page 10. 

We must turn our attention to the special study of practical 
methods of surgery, and so learn ways and means by.which to 
remove or get at this fluid and flesh juices, which we know to be 
the destructive element of the body, in order that we may embalm 
and keep it such time and purposes required of us as embalmers. 

When we look face to face with what are solid facts, do we 
not see that about all art of embalment hangs largely upon the 
mechanical measures with which we must proceed? So em¬ 
balming surgery is now shown to be the first factor, and after 
this comes the science of chemistry which we cannot discuss far¬ 
ther than by a simple theory which govern the embalming results. 

Now, if we have a lactic acid as the primary cause of fermen¬ 
tation in a given watery solution of flesh juices of the body, we 
must create two or more ways by which this acidity may be neu¬ 
tralized by chemicals. 

One of the well-known formulas is found in alkali. When 
this and a given quantity of acid come in contact, each through a 
chemical action, will be made neutral. Then to go further, this 
new substance, by other chemical properties being placed in con¬ 
tact, will cause the watery part to disappear through harmless 
vapors by various processes of evaporation. While the flesh 


50 


Minor Embalming Surgery. 

substances become greater and finally take on a saponified state, 
or they may become as the ashes of wood, and so obliterated by 
time. 

The embalming scientists of today are at a loss to account 
for the various modes of dissolution which bodies present from 
day to day, for while we have given one general description, and 
this perhaps the most common one, yet there are still other modes 
of primary causes of dissolution which must yet be more fully 
studied, but our purpose in this book is to define simple ways and 
means of the art, and now what becomes the question of the 
greatest moment is, “How shall we get at these lactic fluids 
which are held back in the cells and glands of the lymphatic 
system?” We know the component parts and we know many 
chemical reagents which will destroy the various formations of 
fermentus dissolution, but how shall we be able to reach these 
cells and minute channels of the body without mutulating the 
remains of the dead. The Egyptians placed the body in vats 
of brine after opening the thoratic and abdomen cavities and re¬ 
moving the viscera with hooks. They also removed the brain, 
and by this means were able to thoroughly saturate all the body 
substances. 

As the modern embalmercan do nothing of this kind, we must 
turn our study of the art upon other plans for reaching all sub¬ 
stances of the body with the embalming compound. 

That methods of surgery must be used is now a settled ques¬ 
tion, and in order to perform the best operation, and such as may 
be both expedient and justifiable, are questions that are now open 
for discussion in order to accomplish better and more perfect anas¬ 
tomotic results. 


Surgical anfc 3 ns ^ ruinen ^ a l (Embalming ®p= 

erations. 


“M inor Embalming Surgery.” 

By Embalming Surgery we do not mean any desecra¬ 
tion of the dead, and we will say that any careless expos¬ 
ure of the body or needless exploration of the knife or 
trocar would be considered such by all careful and con¬ 
servative operators. Skill does no bungling work, and 
the time has come when all careless and indifferent per¬ 
sons ought to be required to drop out of this work, which 
modern science makes the work of thoughtful and intel¬ 
ligent men. 

Preparatory Arrangement. 

In all cases it becomes necessary to place the body in 
such a manner as to let the air carry away the heat of 




51 


Minor Embalming Surgery. 

the body. Next elevate the head and plan to get all 
around the body if possible. Good light must be had in 
order to determine whether the subject is one of a deli¬ 
cate composition of llesh tissue. Next try to determine 
and locate the quantity and quality of the body fluids, 
and other physical conditions: Whether the body is 
emaciated or not, determine the actual cause of any 
general and local engorgement so as to know whether it 
is caused by gases or by some liquid infiltration. 

. The embalmer should always know what disease the 
attending physician believes to be the probable cause of 
death, as such knowledge would greatly assist them to 
determine the possibility of ruptures, abscesses, or blood 
clots, and such other diseased affections that may occur, 
and so require some special local or general embalming 
treatment. See history of diseases. 

Operative Procedure. 

After determining upon the artery which we desire 
to use, it will be found that the operation involves sev¬ 
eral consequentive steps, though not of so vital import¬ 
ance with us as when the surgeon undertakes to relieve 
their patient in order to save life by the skillful man¬ 
agement of all such surgical operations ; but yet we 
must practice with all due precision which the art de¬ 
mands of us, and when the first incision is about to be 
made the skin should be rendered terse by the thumb and 
finger of the left hand applied to either side of the ar¬ 
tery, and the incision should be made directly over and 
generally parallel through the skin, if the artery is super¬ 
ficial, but if deep cut through the cellular tissue, the 
length to be according to the fleshiness of the subject. 
Certain other operations will sometimes require a tri¬ 
angular or round flap. Any one or more of the following 
surgical operations may become necessary and expedient 
in order to prepare the body for future exhibition and 
burial. 

The fact that there may be so many instances where 
both brachial and femoral arteries may be in such con- 



Fig. 1—Primary Incision. 











52 


Minor Embalming Surgery. 

dition as to render them unfit to make the usual incision 
and operation upon, and some of these instances may be 
caused by reason of some suppurative ulcerations, or be 
found in a badly mangled condition and thus render it 
necessary for an operation to be performed at some 
other part of the body, while in other cases some special 
organ of the body may require special attention when a 
knowledge of relative arteries and veins will be every¬ 
thing to the operator for both hasty or complete em- 
balment. The larger arteries have firm sheaths, which 
require to be opened by dissection, while the smaller 
ones have but slight fibrous investments. 

The fasciae may be pinched up with the forceps, (See 
Fig. 1) when the artery may be raised and slit open and 
the artery tube may then be inserted and securely tied 
in place. 

The veins are situated on the inside and lie close to 
the artery, and frequently in the same sheath. Espe¬ 
cially is this true with all the deep or trunk veins. The 
larger veins may be injected, but as they contain so 
many valves and the vessel walls collapse so easily, these 
vessels cannot be pumped out unless a silk catheter be 
introduced first, or a soft wire may be introduced into 
them some distance and so break down the valves of the 
veins, provided a round ball be fastened to the upper end, 
when some of the serious and watery fluid may be drawn 
out. 


Minor Operations Upon the Upper Extremities. 

The embalmer’s experience will show that many young 
ladies, and others revolt at the idea of body exposure 
after they are dead, and it is no uncommon thing for 
them to leave as their dying request that they shall not 



Fig. 2.—Radial Artery. 





53 


, Minor Embalming Surgery. 

be embalmed, and while there may be some superstitious 
belief that excited a dislike to the embalming operation, 
all that would die away when once the people knew the 
truth that, first, the embalmer’s first operation would dis¬ 
cover and save them in case they were not dead, and 
next, that there should not be any improper body ex¬ 
posure. 

Radial Artery and Vein. 

Fig. 2 shows an operation at the wrist upon the Rad¬ 
ial Artery. As this artery is superficial, it may be 
easily found on a line behind the thumb. The incision 
should be made short and varied only to suit the amount 
of flesh to be cut through, so that the artery may be 
raised and the artery tube inserted and securely med in 
place— while injecting the blood vessels with the emualm- 
ing fluid, use care to watch the face and see that the solu¬ 
tion does not cause the inky blood of the thorax to be 
displaced by the operation. If so, try to disperse the 
gases from adjacent cavity of the body with the trocar or 
aspirating needle and then inject the fluid slowly. See 
page 81-82. 

In completing this operation upon the wrist stitch 
the wound and bandage it carefully. A long sleeve 
dress or glove will finish the work quite satisfactorily 
for all ordinary purposes. An embalming solution should 
always be used by the ladies who wash and dress the re¬ 
mains of deceased ladies and children, and no gentleman 
or professional embalmer should perform his embalm¬ 
ing operation upon them without the assistance or pres¬ 
ence of some lady as this is only a courtesy which is due 
to them as a proper respect for the dead. 

Location.—The radial artery is situated superficially 
in the lower third, or near the wrist, lying between the 
tendons of the supinator longus and the flexor carpi rad- 



Fig. 3.—Lower third of the ulnar artery. 







54 


Minor Embalming Surgery. 

dials, and it is accompanied by the vein comites and the 
radial nerves over the radius bone of the forearm. As 
various injuries like boils, abscesses or similar affections 
may render the radial artery unfit for operating - upon as 
shown in Fig. 2, so that it may be found necessary to 
use some one or more of the following operations: 

Ulnar Artery and Vein. 

The ulnar artery lies on the forearm just opposite to 
the radial artery and Fig. 3 shows the ulnar artery 
which is the largest terminal of the brachial artery; as it 
passes the wrist to the hand it is accompanied by two 
veins. 

Operation.—The ulnar artery may be operated upon 
as shown by Fig. 3 in the lower third of the fore arm. 
When it is covered by the superficial and deep fasciae 
having upon its inner side the flexor carpi ulnaris muscle 
and ulnar nerves and upon its external side the flexor 
sublimis digitorum muscle and under it the ulnar bone. 
The operation should be made by an incision along the 
internal border of the tendon of the flexor carpi ulnaris 
muscle cutting through the subcutanous cellular tissue 
and the deep facia when the muscle may be pushed down 
sufficiently to expose the artery which lies just behind 
and under it, accompanied by two veins. 



Fig. 4.—The upper third of the ulnar artery. 

The ulnar artery may also be operated upon in the 
middle of the arm as shown by Fig, 4, and the operation 
will be similar to the above. 

Location.—The ulnar artery arises from brachial and 
curves deeply inward and below the flexor muscles. As 
it passes along the ulnar side of the fore arm between 
and covered by both the flexor carpi ulnaris and flexor 
sublimis digitorum muscles, it is accompanied by two 
veins. 







55 


Minor Embalming Surgery. 

Operation.—The arm should be held to the radial side 
and an incision made something like three inches long on 
the inside of the forearm. After the skin and superfic¬ 
ial fascia has been divided this will expose the aponenra- 
tic connection of the flexor carpi ulnaris and flexor sub- 
limis, which is of a yellowish white color. This should be 
divided with the finger or director from below; press the 
flexor carpi ulnaris muscle inward and expose the artery 
which lies under the deep muscular substance and is ac¬ 
companied by two veins. 

A very simple and complete embalming operation 
may be made upon either hand, and while there may be 
some objection to this operation, yet, ther•* are many 
young people who would prefer this operat on to that 
of any body exposure. However, all practical persons 
will expect the embalming operation to be performed 
much in accordance to what may be required and the 
truth is, that all ratio of successful embalming will be 
only by that of the applied science under the various 
conditions which require them. 



Fig. 5.—Palmic arch of the ulnar artery. 

Fig. 5 shows an operation which may be made upon 
the palmic arch. When the ulnar may be raised in the 
palm of the hand by using care we may find the vein and 
afterward conceal the wound with a glove. However, 
there should be great care used to finish the work by ty¬ 
ing both vessels and stitching the wound nicely and 
securely. 

Palmic Operation. 

The ulnar artery terminates at the wrist, and is there 
known as the superficial palmar arch. The hand being 
held back, make a slightly curved incision on the radial 
side of the piriform bone ; through the skin and adipose 





56 


Minor Embalming Surgery. 

tissue of the hypothenar eminence about three inches in 
length, the concavity looking inward, when the artery 
and vein will be found deeply seated in a groove and the 
incision should be continued along the bone until the 



Fig. 6. 

artery is exposed enough to admit its being raised and 
operated upon. 

The next operation will be shown is that for raising 
the radical artery in the upper third of the arm, in a 
similar way to that shown in Fig. 4 for raising the ulnar 
artery. 

Radial Artery. 

Fig. 6 shows an operation for the radial artery and 
vein, which may be made at the middle of the forearm, 
and a simple way to locate this artery can be made by 
tracing the pulse artery, thumb-side, from the wrist 



Fig. 7.—Brachial Artery in the Middle of the Arm. 












57 


Minor Embalming Surgery. 

back to a suitable point where an incision two or three 
inches long can be made so as to divide the muscles by 
cutting through the deep fasciae and opening the artery 
sheath. 

Operation in the upper third of the arm for the rad¬ 
ial artery, which lies between the supinator longus and 
the pronator radii teres, the veinae comites lie immedi¬ 
ately on its inside. An incision should be made on the 
internal border of the supinator longus if the arm is not 
too fleshy to permit our recognizing its border by the 
Anger depression, and if so, use a line from the middle of 
the bend of the elbow to the inner side of the styloid pro¬ 
cess of the radius dividing the skin and the superficial 
fasciae; the deep fasciae is then divided by the finger or 
by the director while the arm is slightly flexed, in order 
to relax the muscles, and the supinator longus may then 
be drawn aside when the sheath of the artery is exposed, 
and may then be raised and operated upon. The vein 
lies in the sheath with the artery, and it should be 
known that this operation is but a few inches below 
the Brachial artery, and, by cutting upward along the 
Radial artery until the branch of the Ulnar artery is 
found, the Brachial artery and its accompanying vein 
may be raised and injected. See the following operation: 



Fig. 8.—The bracheal artery of the right arm. 

Fig. 7 shows an operation at the elbow for the Brachial 
artery, where it lies in the middle of the arm. The me¬ 
dian basilic vein lying just beneath the skin. While the 
artery will be found under the deep fasciae by the side of 
the tendon of the biceps, accompanied by two veins. 
This operation, like a few other similar operations, will 
only be required when accidental or other causes stand 
in the way of using what is the well known Brachial ar¬ 
tery and vein operation, as described and shown. 





58 


Special Operations. 

Embalming - operation in the middle of the arm upon 
the Brachial artery descends on the inner side, first of 
the coraco-brachialis and afterwards of the bicep mus¬ 
cles; it is covered by the fascia and integuments and 
overlapped slightly by the bicep muscles. The artery 
sheath contains the two veinse comites. The internal 
cutaneous nerve lies superficial to it, while the median 
nerve and ulnar nerve are also near this artery. 

Fig. 8 shows the brachial artery and vein and as this 
is the operation which is most commonly used, it will 
be necessary to say but little in regard to finding the 
arter}^ in both children and adults. Though it has not 
been many years ago when many an undertaker dwelt 
upon his exploits as a skilled embalmer when the only 
mode was by this simple but useful operation. 

The arm is extended and carried at right angles to 
the body and held supine when the course of the artery 
may be recognized by the internal margin of the biceps 
and coraco brachialis muscles, as the artery and vein 
both lie together near the bone. 

The radial artery may be easily found by the internal 
margin of the two muscles as the artery lies near the 
bone under the bicep muscle. When both the artery and 
vein may be operated upon, though the artery will vary 
in size much in accordance to the physical condition 
of the subject, but this is not always the case for 
with persons of inactive habits the artery may be¬ 
come very small, in fact, remarkably so, when they 
may be only the opening of a knitting needle size. I have 
found one case where the brachial artery of both arms 
was so small as to unfit these vessels for being used be¬ 
cause of the shrunken condition of the arteries for want 
of blood fluid enough to sustain a nominally vigorous life; 
yet, it is also true that when the arteries may be small, 
there may still be plenty of blood and other fluids within 
the body which will be provided with very numerous ar¬ 
teries and vessels that will supply other parts of the 
body, while an arm or some other limb might not possess 
the usual sized artery owing to the non-use of that mem¬ 
ber of the body, and so we see that we cannot always tell 
by the size of the artery what the balance of the blood 
and other vessels of the body may require. 


Special Operations Upon the Thorax. 

All embalming operations upon the trunk of the body 
should be upon some basis which shows the requirement 
for such operation being made, and this must be learned 
thermaly. What are shown under the various chapters of 
diseases and ways by which to operate, and so overcome 


Special Operations. 59 

the destroying influence of single or complex disaster 
which may follow specific causes. 



Fig. 9.—Axillary Artery and Vein under the Arm or 

the Left Side. 

The axillary artery and vein operation may be made 
in two well defined modes. Fig. 9 shows the axillary 
artery and vein in the armpit. When operating upon 
this vessel the subject should be placed upon the right 
side, and while an assistant holds up the arm an incision 
may be made in the armpit by beginning close to the 
trunk of the body, and a little to the front of the center 
of the arm, where the incision may be made parallel to 
the inner border of the coraco-brachialis muscle, out¬ 
ward about three inches long by dividing only the skin at 


/ 




Fig. 10.—Axillary Artery and Vein. 





60 


Special Operations . 

first and then through the fascia, where axillary vein is 
found and pushed back, while the internal cutaneous 
substances are divided, and expose the artery which may 
be operated upon as required. 

The embalming operation upon the axillary artery 
and vein may be found quite as convenient and useful, as 
shown by the following operation: 

Fig. 10 shows an operation which may be made upon 
the axillary artery and other vessels situated near the 
shoulder of either the right or left side. The subclavian 
artery may be reached, as it crosses and lies just beneath 
the axillary artery. 

Operation—An incision should be made some three 
inches long at a point upon the lower edge of the clavicle 
bone, and after removing the cellular membrane and fat 
by the finger or the handle of the knife, we find the ax¬ 
illary artery and vein close together and under adipose 
tissue, which may contain numerous small veins that 
cross above the artery. 

Where a low-necked dress is required by the friends, 
this operation should not be undertaken, and the former 
operation, Fig. 9, may prove as good for both low neck 



Fig. 11.—The Axillary Artery and Vein With Their Branches. 


and bare arm dressings at such times as when, for any 
reason, we are unable to operate upon the thorax viscera 
from below the diaphragm. 

Arteries and Veins of the Right Shoulder. 

Fig. 11 shows a good view of the axillary artery and 
its branches, and the axillary veins and branches, after 
the flesh and some of the muscles have been removed, so 





61 


Spedal Operations. 

as to give a fairly good idea of how these vessels of cir¬ 
culation are constructed throughout the human body. 
Fig. 10 showed the axillary as operated on the left 
side just below the right shoulder clavicle bone, while 
this illustration shows both the arteries and veins and 
their branches of the shoulders and neck. These vessels 
may be injected and then afterwards emptied by either 
of the operations shown upon the arm or in the armpit. 

I have made a specially good operation by running a 
knife down by the side of the neck and then by means of 
a twenty-inch tube rod, I was able to explore, the tho- 
ratic viscera and stop their swelling or thickening pro¬ 
cess very quick and completely. 

The axillary artery may be operated upon as has been 
described on page 59 and this illustration, Fig. 11, has 
been used in order to show the principle branches of both 
the artery and veins as they are situated under the clav¬ 
icle bone which has the upper half cut away in order to 
show how both the larger artery and veins raise 
out of the thorax and pass over to the outside of the ribs. 

In its upper part the axillary artery is covered suc¬ 
cessively by the insertion of the pectoralis minor muscle 
and higher up the pectoralis major muscle, the last be¬ 
ing cut away, though its course is separated by a layer 
of adipose tissue which contains numerous small veins, 
and over these it is covered by the superficial fascia and 
skin. 

The suras capular artery branches from the large 
vessel and crosses just above the base of the neck above 
the clavicle bone, while the axillary vein lies in front 
and to the inner side of the artery, though it is not in 
immediate contact with it, the cephalic vein branches 



Fig. 12.—Subclavian and common carotid arteries. 



62 Special Operations. 

above the axillary vein and passes outward just below 
the clavicle bone. 

Fig. 12 shows the arteries of the neck, which the oper¬ 
ator will find to vary in depth, according to the physical 
condition of the subject. The incision is made by begin¬ 
ning at the base of the neck, and care should be taken 
not to cut either the external or internal veins until 
they have been secured with a thread. The artery lies 
parallel with the trachea and it is enclosed in a sheath 
just under the deep fascia. All arteries and v^eins should 
be securely tied after each operation, then dry the 
wound with soda or alum powder. I sometimes plug up 
the deeper openings with dry cotton batten or rags and 
carefully stitch the wound together before leaving it. 
An adhesive strip placed on the stitching will finish the 
work nicely. 



\ 

) 

/ 


Fig. 13.—The Innominata Where It Divides into the Right 
Subclavial and Right 'Common Carotid Arteries—Also 
the Right Vena Innominata and the Thyroid Veins. 

Fig. 13 shows an operation which by a careful study 
the operator may be enabled to make quick and success¬ 
fully, and as this locality is in close proximity to the 
heart, good work may be done upon both the arteries 
and veins, as well as to reach the lungs by both the knife 
and trocar. I have made several successful operations 
by using the aspirator needle without making any incis¬ 
ion. By making a small skin incision I have been able to 
use a strong rod and pry up the lungs and heart so as to 
get the infiltrated lymph and pus fluids into a space, 
and by this means was able to draw out this souring mat¬ 
ter and then get the embalming fluid located so that it 
could control the putrifying masses of the viscera, a 
quick way of mastering bad cases on short time. 


63 


Special Operations. 

Pig. 14 will show the embalmer an operation upon the 
common caroted artery and the deep jugular vein. This 
operation is rather high upon the neck, therefore will 
be objectionable. Thick short-necked cases will make 
this operation somewhat difficult to make unless we can 
make an extensive incision. As for my choice, I prefer 
and would recommend the operation given on page 59. 
When circumstances require me to use the blood vessels 
above the heart ; and what is more we may be enabled 
to raise the viscera of the thorax, or in fact remove 
such portion as may be found necessary by means of a 
hooked rod, in cases of great corpulency, and then re¬ 
turn the flap and complete the work. 



Fig. 14.—The Right Common Carotid Artery and Deep 

Jugular Vein. 

We will next illustrate and describe suitable oper¬ 
ation for the lower extremities. As we have shown the 
arteries and vein of the neck by the operations in 
Figs. 12, 13 and 14, and if the operator will note the 
sterum (breast bone), they may easily locate the p.aces 
for either of these operations. As the carotid and sub¬ 
clavian arteries and veins are deep seated just back and 
under the trachea, and the artery coverings will vary 
much in accordance to the fleshiness of the subject, 
short and thick-necked persons will be the most difficult, 
and so the length and plan of the incision must be made 
to suit the requirements; and in all cases where the sub¬ 
ject is likely to cause much trouble on account of the flesh 
juices, it would be better to make the heart post mortem 
operation by cutting and raising the sterum bone in such 
a way as to permit the large veins and arteries being 
operated upon and so emptied of the blood and echmosis 
fluids. 




f>4 


Mi nor Operations. 

Minor Operations Upon the Lower Extremities. 

As most embalmers know how to locate and raise 
the femoral artert^, we will show other operations which 
for many reasons will become quite as important. Fig - . 
15 will show the main artery as it branches to the front 
and continues downward, and this branch is called the 
Anterior Tibial and in the front part of the foot it is 
known as Dorsalis Pedis artery, where the vessel curves 



Fig. 15.—Shows the Anterior Tibial Artery and the 
Dorsalis.Pedis Artery of the Right Foot. 













Minor Operations. 65 

or arches toward the outside and sends out smaller 
branches to each toe. 

The small arteries may be used for testing- the com¬ 
pletion of the arterial vessels by making a slight gash 
between the toe and finger, will show whether the pump 
is sending the solution to the various parts of the body 
or not. Both the deep and superficial veins will be found 
in close proximity to the arteries. 

Operation on the Foot. 

The dorsalis pedis artery is shown at Fig. 16 and the 
artery is nDt a difficult operation when once we learn 
how to locate and raise it, while there are many admir¬ 
able and convenient features which recommend it as be¬ 
ing both a practical and unobjectionable operation. 



* 

Fig. 16.—Shows an Incision as Made to Raise and 
Operate Upon the Dorsalis Pedis Artery. 

Location.—The dorsalis pedis artery terminates the 
anterior tibial, and runs in a line drawn from the middle 
of the intermalleoar (ankle space), measured from the 
extremities of the malleoli to the space between the 
first metatorsal bone. It is covered by the integuments, 
fascia and intermost tendon of the extensor brevis digi- 
torum; on its inner side is the extensor proprius pollicis 
and external the inner tendon of the extensor lungus 
digitorum muscle. This artery has veins which are in 
close proximity. 

Operation.—An incision is made two inches in length 



66 Minor Operations. 

on the line indicated, and should parallel the external 
border of the tendon of the extensor proprius pollicis 
muscle. The skin and deep fascia should be divided on a 
director when the internal division of the extensor ore- 
vis digitorum muscle is shoved to one side and will then 
expose the artery and its two veins, when they may be 
raised emd injected, provided, that no rupture, clot, or 
disarrangment may exhist so as to interupt the direct 
flow of the embalming solution. 


Popliteal Artery and Vein. 

Fig. 17 shows the popliteal artery operated fflr at the in¬ 
side and below the knee and 
through the deep fascia and 
under edge of the tibial bone. 

The sapheneous vein will be 
found near the artery. 

Operation Below the Knee. 

Location. — As the femoral 
or trunk artery of the leg 
passes downard the division 
known as the popliteal artery 
extends from the opening in 
the abductor magnus muscle to 
the lower border of the popli- 
teus muscle in an oblique direc¬ 
tion downward and outward. 

The anatomical relations of 
parts in the popliteal space are 
as follows: The external sap- 
hemeous vein runs perpendicu¬ 
larly in the median line and in 
the middle of the popliteal 
space where it perforates the 
deep fascia, then ascends and winds around the popliteal 
nerve and empties into the popliteal vein. 

The popliteal artery is covered in its whole course and 
crossed at the middle of the popliteal space by the popli¬ 
teal vein, which always covers the artery. They are 
covered by semi-membranous and cellular tissue as it 
passes the two heads of the gastrocnemius (knee bone) 
downward. 

Operation.—The popliteal artery and vein may be 
raised as follows: Raise the knee so as to flex the mus¬ 
cle and feel for the internal side of the muscle of the in¬ 
side of the leg and below the knee and make an incision 
some two inches long from the bone downward and par¬ 
allel to the shaft of the inner border of the tibia bone. 
The finger should be used to guard against cutting the 



Fig. 17. — Popliteal Artery 
and Long S?phmeon Vein. 




Minor Operations. 67 

superficial and other veins and open up the inter-muscu- 
lar septum and draw the muscles backward when the ar¬ 
tery and vein may be seen at the bottom of the wound. 

This operation may be made at points lower down and 
by this means avoid such exposnre as that caused when 
operating - upon the femoral artery above, when there 
can be just as good work performed unless it becomes 
necessary to operate directly upon the large blood ves¬ 
sels within the trunk of the body. TVhile there may be 
reasons when the anterior tibial artery would be pre- 
fered on account of the convenience as the operator may 
be made without disturbing or moving the limb very 
much. 


Anterior Tibial Artery and Vein. 



Fig. 18 shows an operation 
on the front side of the leg 
and just below the ligiments 
of the knee where the anter¬ 
ior tibial artery may be 
taken up and both this ar¬ 
tery and vein may be oper¬ 
ated upon below the knee in 
quite a satisfactory way. 

Location.—In the middle 
third the anterior tibial ar¬ 
tery is covered by the skin, 
superficial and deep fascia ; 
On the inner side it has the 
tibialis muscle and on the 
external side the exterior 
longus digitorium and the 


Fig. 18. 

and the extensor proprius muscles 

Operation.—Raise the limb at the knee slightly and 
block it up, then mane an incision in the course of the 
artery through the integments: then flex the foot slight¬ 
ly if possible; when the muscles tibialis autecus and the 
extensor longus digitorum may be parted so as to expose 
the artery and vein. 


Popliteal and Posterior Tibial Arteries. 

As we have shown on page 66 how the popliteal ar¬ 
tery passes through and below the knee and Fig. 15 
shows the popliteal artery and its branches to the front 
part of the leg. Fig. 19 will show the popliteal artery 
and its branches in the rear of the leir. There are 
two branches, the smallest branch is called peroneal 
artery while the larger one is known as the posterior 
tibial artery. 








68 


Minor Operations. 



The posterior artery has been 
shown above, while Fig. 20 illustrates 
how an incision may be made to raise 
one of the principle branches of the 
popliteal artery where it terminates 
behind the internal malleolis (ankle) 
running at first parallel with the 
tendo-achillis and then midway be¬ 
tween the internal malleolis and the 
tuberosity of the os cascis it is here 
very superficial and lies in close re¬ 
lation anteriorly with the tendon of 
the tibialis posticus and posticus 
nerve. It has venae comites. 

Operation.—The foot is placed so 
as to relax to the internal' side when 
an incision may be made some two 
inches long just behind the edge of 
the tibial and parallel with it. The 
integuments are divided, the deep 
fascia mass of fat is opened when 
the artery and venae comites will be 
exposed to view, though it should be 
noted that the artery is sometimes 
found anterior to the incision here 
described. 

The artery may be traced and op¬ 
erated upon by following the tibia - 
shaft upward, when the muscles 
and other integuments may be di¬ 
vided so as to expose the artery as 
it lies deepty under .them. See Fig. 21. 


No. 19.—Posterior Tibial Artery and the Peronial Artery. 



Fig. 20.—Posterior Artery. 





















Minor Operations. 


69 


Operation upon the Posterior Artery and Vein. 

Fig. 2L shows an. operation upon the posterior tibial 
artery and vein behind, the leg and which may be used 
under certain difficulties, such as broken and mashed 
limbs, or in case where canula tubes are to be inserted 
into the veins and left to drain for the night in certain 
large or drowned cases, or when the body may be found 
in the advanced stages putrescence. 



Fig. 21.—Posterior Tibial Artery under the knee and behind the leg. 

Special Operation upon the Abdominal Cavity—Femoral 


Artery. 


The femoral artery and its accompanying vein may be 
operated upon at Pouparts, ligament where both are su¬ 
perficially close to the skin, though the fleshy condition 



Fig. 22.—Femoral Artery and Saphenaous Veins. 








70 


Special Operations. 

of some persons may vary the actual depth muchhn ac¬ 
cordance to the physical structure. 

Fig'. 22 shows the femoral artery and long - saphenaous 
vein which lies just to the inner side of the artery. They 
are covered by the skinny superficial and deep fascia and 
the lymphatic glands. In fleshy persons the fold of adi¬ 
pose may greatly overlap the space known as Pouparts 
ligaments. However, there ought to be no great diffi- 



Fig. 23.—Operation for the Primitive Illiae Artery and Vein, and the 
Femoral Artery and Vein at two places below. 









Special Operations. 71 

culty in reaching the artery by an operation which may 
be made at a point lower down as shown by the next il¬ 
lustration. 


Primitive llliac Artery. 

In order that the embalmer may be able to clearly un¬ 
derstand the principal blood vessels as they extend from 
the trunk of the body outward and how this may be re¬ 
versed as the embalming fluid or the long flexible canula 
or rod may be directed into the larger vessels. Fig. 23 
shows this as raised at these points either one of which 
may be used for clearifying and removing the body fluids 
and refilling them with the compounds, as are anti-septic 
and preserving agents. 

The upper incision shows the abdominal artery known 
as the primitive illiac artery. Either this or the femoral 
artery or vein may be used for inserting the long canula 
or gum tube, which by using care ought to be made to 
reach the fluids below the heart, where the blood, if not 
clotted too much, may be pumped out, though there 
might be some obstruction like that caused by rigor mor¬ 
tis. Some tumor or engorgement may press the vessels 
too greatly to allow the instrument to pass along as 
freely as they will require or some fevered condition may 
leave the veins collapsed and glued together at some 
point so as to not permit of them being opened again 
without we use some weak solution of soda and acid to 
again soften them up. While with the arteries, they may 
become so small by reason of non use, or that of a fatty 
or some other deposit, while blood clots and rupture may 
render the large arteries unfit to conduct any fluid 
through them. See Prof. R. W. Hussey's process given 
in the March number of 1893, Sunny Side, as taken from 
the Embalming Monthly. 

As a rule the better operations may be made after the 



Fig. 24 —The External Illiac Artery and Vein. 




72 


Bod y 1) issolution. 

rigor-inortus has passed off, or when warm water and the 
above soda solution is used for softening - and cleaning 
the blood vessels of the putrescing body fluid which 
they and the capillary vessels may contain. 

Operation upon the Abdominal Arteries and Veins. 

Fig. 24 shows an operation for the external illhe artery 
and vein. When necessary the abdominal wall may be 
operated upon by making an incision three or four inches 
long and after cutting through the skin and fibers of the 
abdominal wall, we may slightly open the peritoneal or 
lining membrane of the abdomen in order to discover the 
presence of gasses or nasceous fluid. After drawing this 
out, we may secure the artery and vein and when there is 
any difficulty like peritonitis or some bowel trouble, tu¬ 
mors, kidney trouble and similar classes of disorders. I 
would recommend the liberal use of the exploring rod 
and stir up the abdominal organs and by this means 
make a way to get at the sour fluids or gases which may 
have accumulated there. This abdominal operation may 
be performed fairly well as low down as at Pouparts liga¬ 
ment. See Fig. 22. 

0|e physique cmb 3ts Cenbency to putri= 

faction. 


(See diseases.) 

In order that the reader may fully understand the principles 
by which deceased bodies vary in keeping, I give an illustration 
(Fig. 25) from Gray, as this shows clearly how the lymphate 
glands and flesh juice are provided with minute vessels that sup¬ 
ply every fleshy substance of the body, as they not only co-oper¬ 
ate, but become a part of the vessels which circulate the blood. 

All full, round forms and fleshy persons have not only propor¬ 
tionately large arteries and veins, but they have a corresponding 
fullness of the lymphate fluids and fatty glands, and when there 
is no emaciation of the body, these substances are sweet, album¬ 
inous and oily, admixture with a large per cent, of water. 

A nominal proportion or roundness of form is called normal; 
an oyer size, corpulency or abnormal condition, due to an over 
deposit of glands and fleshy or adipose cellular substances. 
While this condition is not called a disease, it will ultimately re¬ 
sult in disease of some form. 

Emaciations are the opposite to the normal roundness of form, 
and may be due from several causes—want of proper food, over 
exercise or some disease which interferes with the natural func¬ 
tions of life. r 




Body Dissolution. 73 

In order to be able to embalm this class of bodies, we must 
know that there will be several classes of hindrances. 

Perhaps the greatest one may be shown in that class of dis¬ 
eases which destroy the arteries by reason of some fatty degener¬ 
ation or ulcerations, and in either case they will rupture these 
vessels and organs of circulation, or they may clog up and be¬ 
come glued together, or some abscess may be so situated as to 
render both the arteries and veins unfit to convey the embalming 
fluid through all parts of the body. 

A long stage of sickness does not signify what the physical 
condition of a case may be, while the class of the disease 
always does to a very great extent. Yet this may be modified by 
reason of some intervening causes, such as may be shown in 
various complicational diseases, and this being true, the embalmer 
must become well informed with the resultant condition of all 
classes of disease which end in death, if they would become 
fully qualified as embalmers, and in no other way can they ever 
be enabled to meet all the emergencies which will come up to be 
mastered, ofily by a thorough knowledge of the internal phys¬ 
ical conditions of each subject which they undertake to oper¬ 
ate upon. 

For the embalmer to inject a quart of embalming fluid into the 
arteries and as much more in the cavities gives him no reliance 
that the body is embalmed, for in either case the fluid may be 
found in some single cavity or place, while all other parts of the 
body has no chemical or preserving fluid at all. See chapter on 
Apoplexy. 

In considering the questions of the flesh juices in all de¬ 
ceased bodies, we may say that the greater proportion of them 
are found within the small vessels and cells of the lymphatic 
system, and after the body has been through the rigor-mortus 
stage, these fluids become more watery, as the albumen and other 
substances begin to break down the fleshy cells, and soon a sour¬ 
ing process takes place and thickens every fleshy substance of 
the whole body. Large strong arteries will convey the em¬ 
balming fluid to all parts of the body; provided, there are no rup¬ 
tures, abscesses or blood clots to interrupt the process of injecting 
it, and when the fleshy texture is found porous and open grained 
enough to receive it. But what I would have my readers note is 
that class of body conditions which do not receive the embalming 
fluids readily, and this is not alone in ruptures or abscesses, so 
much as by the flesh cell formations. 

All soft and close grained flesh is so fine in its structure and 
so deep in substance of fats, oils and cellular tissue that no fluid 
can be injected into such parts, and therefore there can b^ no em- 
balment, only by a slow process of absorption, or by the natural 
process of chemical assimilation, and in order to embalm one of 
these bodies we must use a chemical compound which will-have a 
strong affinity for the water, oil and albuminous substances 
which surround the extreme ends of the arteries in the viscera 







Plate No. 1.—Abnormal Physique. 



























































































75 


- The Lymphatic System. 

and deep fleshy parts of the body, and the greater the quality of 
these fatty cells and albuminous substances the greater will be 
the difficulty that the embalmer will experience in operating upon 
them. This is not so much because ot the free flesh juices as in 
those soft fatty cells which will soon break down into ammonial 
gas and so become watery and putrid. 

The low r est that deceased bodies can be classed is two 
distinct classes—the coarse grained flesh texture, and the fine soft 
grained flesh texture. 

The first may be readily embalmed when the arteries are in 
good condition and we use a good embalming fluid, But nothing 
less than a strict scientific and methodical process will enable any 
operator to embalm and preserve the last. Plate 1 shows a 
large body, and while the great size and fullness of all parts of 
the body signify a soft and close grained flesh tissue, yet 
there may be a more porous and open grained flesh that will 
absorb the embalming fluid and so yield to arterial embalment 
under good and skillful management. However, the Egyptians 
failed to show us any specimens of this class of bodies; therefore 
we do not believe that they knew of any embalming process that 
would preserve them, other than that of using oil of cedar, and 
so destroy all the internal flesh and fluid substances, and 
while the modern embalmer may do the same thing, and this in 
less time than the Egyptians required. But modern ways and 
observances of funeral rites does not require that class of work, 
so we must look for other sciences, and in doing so we find that 
this involves both anylitical chemistry and bachteriology; therefore 
we must drop the subject, for it is one far too vast for this book, 
and since we know that Professor Renonard, of New York ; 
Professor Hohenschuh, of Iowa, and perhaps some others, are 
now engaged upon this special study We look forward with 
no small hope that they will soon throw new light upon what 1 
said about keeping such bodies through the column of the Casket 
some 15 or 18 years ago. 

But by reviewing the subject in hand we will now try to look 
into the question of ways and means by which to perform good 
general operations of embalming, for while we h^ve studied the 
many plans for doing surgical work, yet there remains so much 
of the most intricate responsibilities for us to act upon by both 
good judgment and knowledge in order to justify us at all times 
and places—so the embalmer must become thoroughly acquainted 
with the human structure. 

The Lymphatic System. 

Fig. 25 shows the deep lymphatics and glands of the face and 
neck, and we might also see how the small vessels take the 
lymphatic fluid from the axillary and other arteries, as this 
fattv substance builds up the glands and surrounding flesh tissue. 
These substances contain lymph or a transparent watery fluid, 
which, if analyzed, would show the presence of sugar, albumen 


76 


The Lymphatic System. 

and oil, and when this substance sours it takes on a gaseous 
state and so thickens the flesh cells around it. Next the flesh tis¬ 
sue begins to soften and grow watery, and all parts of the body 
take on rapid changes caused by various species of bacterei, and 
becomes involved into ammonial and other gases, which takes it 



Fig. 25.—The Lymphatic Fluids. 

back to the common elements of nature, and as all the lymphatic 
vessels are like a great chain of fine net-work, we find it very 
difficult to reach these substances, with such chemicals or 
drugs as would neulralize the fermenting process. In order to 
show the location of the heart and lungs, and the complicated 
way which the blood vessels are surrounded, I take the following 
illustration from Gray: 












77 


Thoratic Viscera. 

The Thorax. 

Fig. 26 shows the relative position of the viscera and the 
reflections of the pleura, or lining- membrane which covers 
the lungs and returns as the lining walls of the thorax. 
Serous fluids may accumulate in the cavity before death, and 
afterwards cause the face to blacken by depressing the blood ves¬ 
sels^ The heart is also invested in a sac like membrane called 
•pericardium. Serous fluid may engorge this when dis¬ 
eased. The embalming fluid cannot come into contact with 
the serous fluid should there be any in either cavity, and this may 
become sour if not removed or brought into direct contact with 
the embalming fluid, by the cavity process. 


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But the danger of this operation is in the fact that what fluids 
are forced into this limited space, it may so depress the large 
blood vessel, and so blacken the face in the same way which the 
lungs and other viscera would do, when they thicken or swell up 
bv the putrescing condition or process of fermentation. 

In all classes of both young and old, we must keep the viscera 











78 


Part of the Abdominal Viscera. 

of the thorax in as nearly a normal state as possible by remov¬ 
ing- all infiltration, both inside and outside of the lungs and 
heart—and then the embalming fluid will be more likely to as¬ 
similate and destroy the serous and albumin process of 
dissolution, and so gives good results by reason of the surgical 
or aspirating treatment, as well as by the influence of the chem¬ 
icals that are used. See diseases of both the organs of circula¬ 
tion and respiration. 



Fig. 27.—The Abdominal Viscera. 








79 


Abdominal Structure. 

Abdomen. 

Fig. 27 shows part of the veinous structure of the abdominal 
viscera after part of the transcolor has been cut away. See Fig. 
30 , page 82. The inferior vena cava and its connections with 
the kidneys lie behind the duodenum and opposite the eleventh rib 
and under the peritoneal membrane which lines the abdominal 
cavity. 

The cardiac and portal veins are associated with similarly 
large abdominal arteries, and by their numerous branches these 
arteries and veins involve all the abdommal viscera, together 
with all the adipose tissue of the abdomen. While to explain 
farther there is a similar network of vessels of both the superior 
and inferior mesenteric system. Fig. 27 shows only the portal 
vein and the inferior mesentery. 

As the mesenteric system’is associated with the lymphatic 
system, I will say that it is because the mesenteric vessels pro¬ 
vide the chyle and lymph fluid for all body nutrition through 
the arteries. While on the other hand the kidneys expel all 
waste material found in the blood as it is returning through the 
inferior vena cava. There are several forms of diseases caused 
by various uric disorders. While with the mesenteric system 
the glands called peyer glands become the seat of diseases, like 
typhoid fever, when the membranes may be eaten through by 
small perforating sores. While with the urinic disorders an ab¬ 
scess or some similar derangement of the kidneys or its associate 
membranes may destroy that portion of the abdominal viscera. 

In the normal condition of life the mesenteric and lymphatic 
system abound and give roundness of form to the young and 
growing, and following in after years much in accordance with 
the personal ways of life, though varied somewhat by some un¬ 
explainable reason which go from the ordinary to that of an ab¬ 
normal physique. See chapter 011 disease. 

As the reflection of the peritoneum makes several cavities as 
it surrounds the various abdominal organs, 1 desire to call espe¬ 
cial attention to this fact in order to show the embalmer how 
easily it is for them to be mistaken about where the embalming 
fluid is located after they have injected the abdomen at some one 
or more places. 

It will always require the sharpest pointed needle or trocar in 
order for them to penetrate this thin and strong membrane of the 
peritoneum, and as. this is reflected so often and variedly, one 
may be greatly deceived, because there will be many times when 
a blunt trocar or needle will only push it back instead of punching 
through. 

Fig. 28, page 80, shows the reflections of the Peritoneum. 
The name means “to extend around.” This is a serious mem¬ 
brane which covers the walls and viscera of the abdomen, like a 
shut sac, but not completely so in the female. As I have said 
above, there are so many reflections and diverging layers of the 
delicate membranes that may be easily pushed back by the 





















Superficial Veins. 81 

needle, so that the embalming fluid is collected into a single space 
and so it cannot reach all parts of the abdomen as it should do. 
I he reader should study the picture well, and when possible in¬ 
vestigate every detail of this and the diseases which pertain to 
this part of the body. 



Fig. 29.—Large Veins and Their Branches of the Head 

and Neck. 

The Veins of the Neck and Face. 

Fig. 29 shows the large veins of the neck and face, and these 
correspond to the large arteries’which supply the blood. They 
are called external jugular, posterior jugular, anterior jugular, in- 






















83 


The Aspirator. 

ternal jugular and vertebra? veins. The office of the vein is to 
collect the nitrogenized blood from the capilliaries of the flesh cells 
and return it to the right side of the heart and into the lungs, 
where it discharges the nitrogen and becomes arterial blood by 
taking up oxygen. As a rule there will be more or less fluid of 
the body which will settle in the region of the heart, at time of 
. death, and when the veinous blood sours the fibrine may change 
it into an inky color, probably due to the large amount of nitro¬ 
gen which it may contain. If there is any great quantity of this 
echmosys fluid settled within the large veins near the heart, it 
may be discovered by a slight pressure upon the abdomen and 
chest, which will cause it to flush the face more or less. See 
page 81. 

Location of the Thoratic Viscera. 

Fig. 30 show's the front view of the thorax (Gray revised). 
The embalmer should learn not only the numbers of the ribs, but 
should learn the exact locality of each organ of the thorax. In 
fact, all who desire to become professional men should study both 
Gray’s anatomy and Dalton’s human physiology, published by 
Henry C. Lee’s Sons, Philadelphia, Pa. 

This cut illustrates the locality of the viscera, as the trans¬ 
color, stomach and liver are clearly shown, while the lines show 
the heart and location of the arch of the aorta. And also the 
superior vena cava and jugular veins. Where this vessel and 
its branches can be properly emptied of the inky fluid after death, 
the face will not, as a rule, flush and become black for some days, 
and should it do so afterwards, it will be caused by the ammonial 
process of dissolution. See 82. 

I am not a doctor nor a student of medicine, but I soon 
found that to become a modern embalmer, a specialist, it was 
necessary to begin where all the sciences of medicine ended. 
While anatomy, morbid pathology and chemistry provided me 
with the first steps to embalming science, yet there was much of 
these sciences which w'ere irrelative, and so it became necessary to 
begin the work of making special classes of observations, and by 
this means prove all plans and processes by a common law of 
method by which to govern that work. 

As the laws of time and nature end all the remedies of medi¬ 
cine and surgery, so the embalmers must also be governed by 
these common laws of dissolution and decay. 

Special Instrumental Treatment. 

How to use the Aspirator.—In all such diseases which 
attact the various organs of both the thoratic or abdominal cavity 
it will be necessary to make use of instrumental means in order to 
remove at least part of the pus fluids and infiltration which the at¬ 
tact of the disease may have created singly or collectively. In 
1874 the author improvised an aspirator by using a pewter syringe 
and rubber connection to both large and small metal penstock 


84 


Uses of the Aspirator. 

tubeing for canula, while a shapened iron rod was fitted into these 
tubes for trocar uses. This instrument was a success, excepting 
that the canula was short by one half. 

Diseases of the lungs, heart, kidneys, bowels or the lining 
membranes which surround them, may give the embalmer many 
extraordinary experiences because of the many classes of clots, 
irritation,infiltration and engorgement condition that may be found 
present or soon will show, as they follow with a long list of disas¬ 
trous consequences. 

Empyemal effusions into the pleural cavities will often require 
a carefully directed puncture of the thortic walls in order to get rid 
of the fluids which has collected in some particular locality. 

Dr. Howe tells us that the symptoms indicating fluid in the 
pleural cavity are shown in life by difficulty of breathing, cough¬ 
ing, pain in the chest and especially a fullness on the suspected side. 

As the chest is stripped, the embalmer not knowing the pa¬ 
tients complaints, will be enabled to see the marks of the disease 
as he finds that the spaces between the ribs are filled and bulging, 
and this is caused by a dropsical infiltration in what the surgeon 
knows as the subcutaneous areolar tissue. The distended half of 
the chest is heavy on percussion and the fluid may be heard to 
gurgle as the body is moved slightly to one side. 

All liquid accumulations in local organs or cavities must re¬ 
ceive various degrees of special attention before any one can lay a 
just claim to doing scientific embalming. 

in cases of pneumonia there has been as much as three quarts 
of pus removed from the plural cavity in less than ten minutes by 
the use of the knife on the swollen side between the eighth an<d 
ninth ribs and so low as to be quite under the seat of the engorg¬ 
ing abscess. 

A large trocar would serve to remove this pus fluid, but a 
small one would hardly do as well unless some other liquid was 
used to partially dissolve it in case that the pus was of a thick 
mucous character. School children as well as older people require 
special study. For diseases like the above and that of peritonitis, 
pluritis, and other diseases as they are shown to end in death in 
the chapter relating to these diseases according to their classes. 

Fig. 30 shows an operation called by physicians “paracentesis 
thoracis 1 ' which is recommended and used by Drs. Hamilton, 
Agnew, Howe, and in fact, all other intelligent and skilled sur¬ 
geons for relieving the patients under some varieties of local dis¬ 
eases that we cannot enter into the further detail, as we must con¬ 
fine this chapter to the many great advantages and uses of the 
aspirator in the special scientific work of embalming. 

My plan for introducing the canula has always been upon the 
theory of getting at the lowest point of the pus fluids and then by 
pressing and shaking the body get the lighter floating liquor down 
and out. As various organs or local cavities require special oper¬ 
ations in order to reach and empty them, so 1 will refer the reader 
to the study of the local organs and their diseases. 


85 


Uses of the Aspirator. 

Abscesses, clots, adhesion and cohesion may each require that 
some softening or thinning solution be used before the pus con¬ 
tents of the surrounding tissues will permit it to flow or be drawn 
off. Solution No. 3 will do for the mucous pus, while solution 
No. 4 may be used to soften the surrounding tissue or cohe¬ 
sions of veins and smaller arteries. 

Diseases like uremia, Bright’s disease, dropsy, foetal disorders 
and tumors should all be treated with solution No. 8 before the 
fluids of the body can be all removed as it may be by the aspira¬ 
tor and other instrumental operations, and after this is done the 
embalming fluids can be injected in such a thorough way as to 
make the embalment more secure and perfect. 

In black thick blood and plethoric cases the face appearances 
may be improved by injecting the veins with this simple solution, 
as this will cut the mucous or geletine and oily substances as well 
as the blood clots so that the blood and other fluid substances 
may be pumped out when the embalming fluid can be introduced 
with better results. 

















86 Uses of the Trocar. 

Dropsy is understood to be an infiltration of serus fluid into 
arola spaces and serus cavities of the body. The blood of the 
venous system becomes watery and soon obstructs the whole 
system more or less. Fig. 32, page 86 shows how physicians in¬ 
troduce the trocar and canula and draw out the fluid. During the 
evacuating procedure the canula may be obstructed by a flake of 
lymph or floating folds of intestine and it may be necessary to use 
a' probe. When the embalmer is satisfied that there is fluid which 
will not flow out, introduce the canula at several other parts and 
drain other cavities. So rapid is the accumulation of serum in 
some instances that I have had to go over the work soon after¬ 
ward because of the breaking down of the lymphatic and flesh 
cells which sour and become fluid and require their removal again. 
As not only dropsical cases, but there are many other cases 
which from either the disease or the physical condition will re¬ 
quire some hours of time and careful attention before they can be 
rendered safe and securely embalmed; yet, by intelligent manage¬ 
ment and a due amount of patience, no skilled embalmer should 
fail when once they are given the required time-, which each case 
for specific reasons may greatly vary in both the time required as 
well as for special facilities that may be demanded by reason of 
some specific physical causes. With all embalmers, heretofore, 
the plan has been to introduce the long tubes into both the thora- 
cie and abdominal cavities from the top or near the center. With 
my plan it will be found very much better to introduce the needle, 



Fig. 32.—The Physician’s way for Tapping the Abdomen with Tro¬ 
car and Canula in Dropsical Cases. 



Womens' Ailments. 87 

tube or trocar at the side and lower down than at the point or 
bottom of the cavity which may contain noxious, watery fluids. 

Dropsy. 

Tapping the abdomen is one of the most common embalming 
operations and there are so many times when we fail to remove 
all the infiltrations in such cases as in dropsy, Bright’s disease, 
albumenaria, tumors and pregnancy. While fairly good results 
may come from the use of trocar as shown in Fig. 31, the rule 
is that there cannot be enough of the noxious fluid drawn off by 
center abdominal operation, and 1 would advise all to use the side 
method for aspriating each of the above and similar afflictions. 

In Dropsy and similar cases the trocar and canula is inserted 
in the medial line two or three inches below the umbicilus when 
the canula is pushed nearly to the hilt in order to perforate the 
peritoneal membrane, when the fluid will run out, though care 
must be taken to keep the fold of omentum from closing the canula 
opening, and the embalmer will be likely to experience the same 
trouble while trying to aspirate this fluid. 


physical Obstruction as ^ouitb in VOo men. 


Perhaps there is no class of diseases which end in death that 
has more disastrous complications than of several ailments which 
woman alone is subjected to at various periods of life. 

The first may be at the early age of puberty, when cold, wet 
or nervous shock may result in the suppression of the menstrual 
discharge and so cause an affection called amenorrhoea, while 
plethora and other conditions may result in marked and constitu¬ 
tional conditions and end in death, between the ages of 14 to 20, 
when family ties and social surroundings may make the case one 
of more or less public interest. 

The second affection may result from pregnancy, miscarriage 
and death from loss of blood, or blood poison. 

The third difficulty may be caused by foetal mishaps, such as 
being overgrown and no timely surgical assistance, when death 
may result from exhaustion, and so again throw the neighbor¬ 
hood into a state of surprise and despair. See page 88 and 
page 90 . 

These cuts are taken from “Dr. Playfair’s System of Mid¬ 
wifery,” and I have a twofold purpose in doing so. The first is 
in that of describing a practical system of embalming such bodies, 
and the next is to make our embalming profession better ac¬ 
quainted with the truth of the important part our doctors are to¬ 
day enabled to play in saving the lives of so many, for 1 may say 
that the doctor does not loose but very few of these obstetrical 
cases when they are called in good time, because they have 
proven themselves equal to the emergency by supplying instru- 





Plate 2.— Last stage of 
> regnancy. The above Foe- 
al position may cause more 
r less trouble by the constant 
wastage of fetid body fluids. 


i 




4 


(88) 
























Womens ’ Ailments. 


80 


mental and medical remedies for a comparatively safe delivery of 
all fetal complications; and in speaking of complications, we 
may say that there are so many of these during the entire period 
of pregnacy, but those which are of the most concern to our pro¬ 
fession is found in a possible dropsical malady or in that of 
some blighted ovum when a fleshy degeneration of the 
membrane takes place, or an apoplectic ovum becomes effused 
with a mass of blood—and so ends life by reason of blood poison 
or some complicated disorder. 

Abortion may arise from some marked condition of the ovum, 
or from so many diseases like measles, scarlet fever, small-pox, 
pneumonia, fright, over-exertion and so many malarial causes 
that we cannot go into a full detail of them. But we will return 
and speak of plural births and say that sometimes two children 
may be presented simultaneously, and should the doctor not be 
at hand in time there may be what is called a head locking, 
which may end in death by exhaustion. 

Monstrosities have many types which the ddctors can, as a 
rule, take good care of the mother by performing crainatomy, but 
it is said that the greatest danger, both regarding the mother and 
child, is in cases called hydrocephalus, when the child’s head has 
become enormously enlarged, caused by watery fluid within the 
cranium : but, fortunately, this disease is of rare occurrence. 

There are many classes of hemorrhages, both before and after 
delivery, but their complexities are too numerous to be given in 
detail. Sometimes there is an accidental rupture of the uterus, or 
may be caused by the alteration in the tissues of the uterus by 
fatty degeneration during pregnancy. 

History gives a curious operation as practiced by the Romans 
under a decree by Numa—that no pregnant woman should be 
buried until the fetus had been removed by abdominal section. 
Tradition tells us that Julius Cmsar owed his life alone to this 
operation, and there are several well authenticated accounts of 
children whose lives were saved by this operation. And while 
we pen this item we speculate as to what the result may be by 
some embalmer’s discovery and the saving of a life while pro¬ 
fessionally engaged in embalming the dead. However, the prob¬ 
ability is that this operation can only be performed in the last 
stage of exhaustion of the mother, when the mother yields her 
life to save her child. This operation is called Cresar section, 
and has been quite successfully performed many times and places 
during the last fifty years. 

Puerperal State. 

The puerperal state usually follows soon after delivery by a 
discharge of fluid which is more or less intensely fetid at times, 
or may take a fatty transformation form of the muscular fibre 
within the uterin vessels or in the placental site, or may cause a 
mucous change in the lining membranes of the uterus, and finally 


1 



Plate 3.— Foertal lodgement 
and death by exhaustion. See 
page 94 . 
























Womens’ Ailments. 


91 


end in death of the patient by some complicated disorder like 
blood poison and similar conditions. 

Morbid Growths. 

Tumors and Morbid Growths.—There are two, benign 
and malignant, which may be best classed as forms of structural 
degeneration, or vitiated nutrition, as cancers come under the 
last form. I can only give a brief outline of the pathology of 
cancer. This disease may attract all parts or organs of the 
body. Malignant growth is that class of disease which is prone 
to an unlimited increase, disastrous in effects and impo c sible to 
arrest or cure. Cancers are classed into three distinct kinds— 
scurrilous, or hard cancer; colloid, or gelatiniform; encepha- 
loid, or brain like in appearance. 

Scurrilous cancer is composed of a fibrous or filamentous 
tissue, with little fluid and fatty cells. Colloid cancer has a 
variable amount of fibrous tissue arrayed as a matrix. De¬ 
scribed by some writer as being often like "an orange, containing a 
jelly like substance with some cells, but not so frequent as in the 
first. 

Encephaloid cancer is said to be the highest development of 
carcinomatous formation. It consists of a fibrous matrix con¬ 
taining an abundance of abnormal, multiform cells, and a pecu¬ 
liar fluid—the milky or creamy fluid as called cancer juice. 

Cancers destroy life by exhausting the vitalizing process of 
nutrition, while anxiety, pain and sleepless nights hasten the 
work from a few months to a year or two. See Fig. 38 , 
page 95 . 

Ovarian Diseases. 

The ovaries are organs which, as Dr. Howe says, have an 
exalted endowment, yet are subject to various diseases. 

Abscess of the Ovary is likely to prove fatal unless the 
purulent naseous pus can be directed through a safe outlet after 
suppuration is established. 

Cancer of the Ovary is sure to result fatally. 

Fibrous enlargement of the ovary cannot be removed with any 
practical safety. 

Cystic disease of the ovary is very common, and by good 
management may be removed by surgical treatment, and accord-^ 
ing to Dr. Howe, Dr. Ephraim McDowell was the father of this 
science, closely followed by Dr. Burnham, Dr. Dunlap, of this 
city, and other celebrated surgeons like Drs. Russell and Austin, 
who have recently removed ovarian cyst, which proved this 
science of ovariatomy a complete success. 

An ovarian cyst may consist of a single sac, and its contents 
mulocular, or embrace several sacs, each with different contents. 
These tumors sometimes grow so great that their weight will 
equal one-third the weight of the possessor, and destroy their life 
in the course of two or three years. We are told that it is not 


92 


Putrefaction. 

uncommon to draw off six or eight gallons of fluid and then 
le-ave a gallon or two in the collapsed sac. Some patients have 
survived tapping a great many times. Women of all ages may 
be afflicted. 


Putrefactive Substances. 

Excessive adipose require various incisions in order 
to draw the water and the oily liquid away, otherwise 
this liquid may sour in an hour or so and by this means 
thicken and greatly engorge the body figure to that ex¬ 
tent that the whole body may also become involved in 
the advanced state of putrescion. 

Tumors are abnormal growths which may be full of 
body liquid infiltration and this may be a mixture of 
albumeniod and water or it may possibly be pure albu¬ 
men or some fatty oils of a sacchrine nature and.the rule 
is that all such body and cavity fluids should be removed 
as far as possible. 

When the tumor is shown to be composed of some 
solid flesh growth or a fatty false tissue, which is dry, 
then there may not be any actual necessity for its re¬ 
moval, but the trocar should be used to explore the tu¬ 
mor so as to determine the truth of what the contents 
really are for sometimes the encystment may be so'thick 
and terse that the operator might be deceived into be¬ 
lieving that the tumor is comprised only of solid material 
when the worst mass of semi-purulent liquor would be 
found by the trocar or knife operation. 

It has frequently been asked to explain where the 
fluid contents of tumors came from; what part of the 
circulation supplied such growth. 

Various encystments like tumors always have a pedi¬ 
cle or root. Some of these are grown "to fairly corres¬ 
pond to the size of the tumor, while in other cases there 
seems to be scarcely no pedicle. However, the various 
false tumor growths are each related to some special 
class, much in accordance to the cause which produces 
them. The rule is that some abnormal reason is as¬ 
signed to the most of these false growths, though mam T 
of these abnormal reasons are assigned to injury, while 
♦with others, some false secretion, may have come possi¬ 
bly from injury, strains, or that of nature deviations and 
causes, and so not only tumors may follow, but such dis¬ 
eases as may be denoted as kidney, liver and other 
abnormal diseased affection, and so it becomes quite im¬ 
possible for me to to show just how it is that tumors 
actually get their fluid contents from, more than that it 
is by the many small absorbing vessel which supply the 
pedicle or root. 

As each muscle and each cavity wall throughout the 


Calsarian Section. 


93 


whole body is supplied by some oily, albumenous or ser- 
us mucus fluid which supplies their surface. So, also the 
various encystinent and tumor substances are also sup¬ 
plied and this more or less to the injury of jther parts 
of the system and possibly to the ultimate destruction of 
life like those generally called ovarian tumor-cancer. 
While with that of the excessive growth of adipose, 
there is some primary cause which deposits fat in some 
persons while with others they can not store enough fat 
so as to maintain good health. 

Then, as the tumors and so many diseases are shown to 
produce abnormal growth through some false minute 
vessels; while in other cases the lymphatic and blood 
vessel capillaries, there may be some direct cause for 
great and excessive deposits known as tumor. Yet, if 
we were to depend upon the completion of these blood 
vessels being a channel by which the embalming fluid 
would be conducted into these parts. I will say that 
while there may be a possibility that some embalming 
fluid might reach various false structures, yet the rule 
is that neither tumor,encystments or foetal substance can 
be injected by the arterial system as will be necessary 
for embalming such local putricious substance. 

Dr. Playfair speaks of several classes of abnormal pregnancy, 
like tubal pregnancy or false ovarian pregnancy,and several classes 
of malformation, which are too lengthy for me to describe, fur¬ 
ther than to say that foetal deaths are not unfrequent and highly 
dangerous, because of blood poison and the destruction of the ad¬ 
jacent organs by ulceration. See page 88. 

Physicians are usually ready to make very thorough investi¬ 
gations by post-mortem inspection, and when embalmers are pro¬ 
fessionally baffled by reason of natural and physical hindrances, 
we ought to be permitted by law and custom to make such ex¬ 
ploring operations as the case requires, and in fact we should 



Fig. 35.—Primary Incision in Abdominal Walls. 




94 


Caesarian Section. 

be justified in the use of the embalmers instruments whenever our 
judgment as professional men show a proper reason for such 
treatment. Fig. 35 shows the preliminary arrangement of the 
body and that an incision has been made in the abdominal wall 
from a point just below the umbulicus along the median line, the 
knife dividing the skin, fat and facia, but the tendonous walls 
have not been opened only, when great care should be taken to 
determine whether the foetus is alive. In cases of pregnancy this 
operation would be called Caesar section. See page 89 , and pro¬ 
ceed accordingly, though it would be far better to call the family 
physician should there be any grounds for believing that such 
was at least probable. All this would be shown by lack of 
proper attendance, warmth of the body and short elapse of time 
after death. 

In case of dropsy, tumor or inflammation of the bowels, or 
any disease which engorges the abdomen with putrelescing fluids, 
the knife should not be used until the aspirator had been used, or 
what is better, a % in. pipe with the same size of rubber tubing, 
and then several gallons of this fluid might be found in some of 
the largest cases of dropsy or ovarian tumors. 


r 



Fig. 36.—Ligating the Pedal-of an Ovarian Tumor 
Before Cutting Away. 

When embalming the bodies that have tumors for any defi¬ 
nite length of time, it will always be found expedient to remove 
the tumor growths especially, when they are large, because 
these are likely to be made up of several cysts, and each of these 
sacs may contain a somewhat different fluid or pus, and as no 
operator can remove all this souring product, the knife will 
give the best security against such difficulty as great fetor and 
possibly the loss and control of the body from rapid dissolution. 
See Fig. 37 . 

In Fig. 38 we are shown a cancer of the breast which the sur- 





Cancers' 1 Growths. 


95 



/' 


Fig. 37.—Abdominal "Wound Closed After Operating for the 
Removal of an Abnormal Engorgement. 

geon has operated upon, but was unable to cure this rapid 
growing disease, and there are many times when the embalmer 
will find trouble from the pungent odors, and it will be necessary 
to introduce the trocar into any swollen parts and so route the 
purulent fluids and gases before injecting the local parts, while 
other treatment should follow as the case may require. 



Fig. 38.—Cancer of the Right Mammary Gland. 


















Specific Observation of putrifaction anb 3ts 

Causes. 


The embalmer’s observation should become careful to the ex¬ 
tent of a methodical definement in all that may be shown by 
physical signs and the prospective changes from day to day. For 
very much may be learned by experience as various opportuni¬ 
ties show something to define a proper system by which one case 
may, in a measure, be shown as similar to that of others. Yet, 
if we were to make all our diagnosis upon any case simply because 
it was the same age or the same size, or disease, we would then 
soon learn that there was a demand for some better system by 
which to class these subjects, so that each one could be so fully 
understood as to enable the operator to foresee the probable and 
possible results each body would give at the end of a given time. 

While primary attacks of disease may be of little consequence 
to the embalmers, yet a postmortem examination would reveal 
many morbid stages, which not only vary according to the 
pathological, but the physical condition "of each case. 

This being true with what physicians show us concerning the 
destroying results of so many diseases, and so may be shown of 
the greatest consequence, that the embalmer must "know the pos¬ 
sible and probable internal obstruction, and such other physical 
derangements that various specific diseases may cause for the em¬ 
balmer to overcome when undertaking to embalm such bodies. 

Intelligent experience of the past has created £iany demands 
for remedies to meet the actual necessities as required by a long 
line of disastrous influences, so many of which are yet very far 
from being fully understood by many of those best posted on 
methods and processes of the art. 

The problem which a subject may present is not that the de¬ 
ceased is large or small, young or "old, but there are so many 
things which could be more intelligently discussed by methods i’f 
we had them of a fixed class or rule. As we have none, we must 
look for a physical sign of our own rating, and this should not be 
by the single physical condition, but by the combination of mor¬ 
bid and physical conditions in order for us to better observe their 
resultant tendencies. 

It can only be by the thoughtful and observing study of both 
disease and physical relation, as they are variously combined and 
so make a stage of putrescence and decay, which can ever give 
us as professional men the key by which to solve the mvsterious 
probability and future possibility of so many subjects which the 

(96 



97 


Necrobiology. 

embalmer is professionally called on to answer for; and now as 
this is true, we want more different rules by which to better de¬ 
termine and measure the problem of how long the body may be 
kept free from all obnoxious condition, and this to be determined 
in a fairly reliable measure by what we may see, or reason out as 
being the truth of the case, from what may be learned from the 
present and past by a close observation of the things and circum¬ 
stances which surround each case. A thorough knowledge of 
death causes will include a wide acquaintance with diseases, and 
when we combine with this knowledge a few pertinent and rela¬ 
tive questions, we may feel quite sure of deriving at the truth of 
the internal physical condition of each subject which we may be 
called to embalm—and so by this, a special study and a close^ ob¬ 
servation gives us the knowledge which is the only key to begin 
this scientific professional work. 

In was early in 1873 or ’74 when 1 discovered that the flesh of 
a child was soft and fluid in proportion to a given quantity, and 
that disease might or might not take away a great part of this 
fluid or flesh, singly or together. Not long after this I found that 
all classes, both young and old, were also constituted at a wide 
variance of flesh texture, as well as in the body fluids. 

I soon found that to know nothing of the diseases which 
caused death would only result in a failure of not less than 78 per 
cent, of my work as an embalmer, and 1 also found that twelve 
per cent., on account of body emaciation and favorable sur¬ 
roundings, would keep well on a cooling board and did not re¬ 
quire embalming. Three per cent, might require the knife or 
trocar, while this and the seven per cent., “balance of 100 cases,” 
required cavity embalming with chloride sodium, to saturation, of 
about 40 oz. aqua pura, and in a few of the extreme cases it was 
necessary to add an ounce or so of bicard sodiae, and about the 
same amount of potassium caustic in other cases. In fact, there 
was about 22 per cent, of easy cases as against 78 of very bad 
and difficult cases to embalm and keep, counting the time of 
keeping not over four days and four per cent, deduction for every 
day thereafter by cadeavic softening and body worms. 

On inspection it will be a good rule to make a close and 
careful note of everything we may be able to learn by inquiry, 
and a few pertinent questions, when understood, will go a long 
way to give us the key to so many cases. 

What was the actual causes of death, is often a query to 
some of our best doctors because of the many complications of 
diseases or the inability of those around the patient to ex¬ 
plain all. 

However, a word may give us some knowledge that when 
shown by the side of some engorgement of the thorax or the ab¬ 
domen, may then enable us to better determine upon the conse¬ 
quent internal condition of which some special operation will then 
be seen as necessary. Many physical signs may be enumerated 
after death, when once we study and learn them by a thorough 


93 


N<ecrobioloyy. 

knowledge of diseases and their attacks upon the various organs 
of the body, leaving thereby various consequentive stages and 
possible disastrous results for the embalmer to remedy by his 
one, or possibly two processes, and the result is that about all 
cases that may be retained for more than ten days- is not wholly 
as satisfactory as the more intelligent of our profession desire to 
see as the result of their embalment. 

Ail necrobiotic signs are far from being understood as they 
ought to be. The writer insists that deceased human flesh 
texture may and now ought to be classed by a far greater variety 
of class structure, as shown in various cases, than has yet been 
considered by anv special writer upon the subject of either the 
chemistry of the human body or its embalment. 

Next,' the fluid condition of the deceased body is a matter of 
the greatest consequence to the embalming operation. 

As fluid constituents of the body belongs to the special science 
of analytical chemistry, so will be the corrective methods of as¬ 
similating drugs and chemical reagents or processes by which to 
embalm and keep them, because, as Dr. G. G. Groff says in 
Annals of Hygiene, March, 1893 : 

“ Bacteria belongs to the most widespread of organisms : we 
may say they are omnipresent; they never fail either in air or 
water; they attach themselves to the surface of all firm bodies, 
but develop in masses only where decomposition, corruption, fer¬ 
mentation or putrefaction is present. If we place a piece of flesh, 
a pea, or other animal or vegetable material in water, it will be¬ 
come, earlier or later, thick and then milky. It loses its trans¬ 
parency, because the bacteria completely fill the water; at the 
- same time the putrefaction increases, under the development of 
different, and for the most part, bad-smelling chemical combina¬ 
tions. After a time the thickness disappears, and the water be¬ 
comes clear and odorless, the organic material is consumed by 
the bacteria; these now cease to divide themselves further, and 
heap themselves on the bottom as white sediment, without mo¬ 
tion. If a new supply of nutritive material be added to the fluid, 
putrefaction and the multiplication of bacteria, which are not 
dead, but in a state of temporary repose, are seen to begin anew.” 

As we look into science and trace this for true facts, we may 
see the truth, as it so often exists in many of the simplest things, 
and the embalmer will do well to look info the subject of bacter¬ 
iology, as there is now no question of the importance on their own 
account for them to learn to know the classes and varieties of 
these micro germs as no doubt that when we know them as they 
exist. Invisible, yet possessing irresistible power to especially 
govern the process of all forms of dissolution from the simplest 
classes of drying decay to that of causing a sporific and rabid 
and nasceous putrilescination, and this under circumstances of the 
greatest importance, and today require methods for supplanting 
these destroying ravages, so far as pertains to embalment by 
some proper remedy to either prevent or destroy them. 


99 


Necvobioloyy. 

We are told that nearly all bacteria possess two different 
modes of life, one of motion and another of rest. In certain con¬ 
ditions they are excessively mobile—sachrine and albuminous 
matter and water, under favorable temperature and oxygen, pro¬ 
vide nourishment, and they take on various forms as they swarm 
in myriads of animation, each class peculiar to its own specific 
origin. 

The great question with the embalmer is, What are the classes 
of putrelescation, which they, as specialists, must provide reme¬ 
dies and reagents to destroy ? Are there but one class of these 
micro germs, or are there as many varieties of these as there are 
of the different substances of fluid and matter which make up the 
various proportions of the physical condition of a deceased body. 

Lactic acidity is a form of fermented animalculm, as it may be 
traced from milk or sweetened wa^er. We are also told that al¬ 
bumin, gelatine, also, may become impregnated with specific 
germs, and that certain fatty oils putrinate and form futric acid ; 
and so as we can trace several classes as they eminate under cer¬ 
tain conditions, why cannot someone reduce this theory into more 
definite classes of putrescence? 

Dr. Groff and others tell us that the forms of bacteria of 
some classes resemble balls or eggs, in others short or long rods 
or fibres ; sometimes they look like cork-screws or screws. Many 
of their bodies look as though they consisted of almost colorless 
substances like albumin —others exist in a similar substance, in 
which numerous shiny, fatty granules are imbedded and which 
is inclosed in a thin membrane (cellulose). Substance that is said 
to be insoluble in caustic potash. While the above article is in 
press, the January, ’95, number of The Casket comes, and after 
reading every line of Prof. Hohenschuh’s grand and scholarly 
lecture to the recent assembl ige of the National Funeral Directors 
Convention at St. Louis, Mo., I find that the professor does not 
fully corroborate Dr. Goff’s statement regarding the chemical 
destruction of some special classes of micro organism, which are 
so variously due to the process of the putrifaction of animal sub¬ 
stances, and 1 must say that perhaps nothing would provide such 
a lesson for the advancement of our special science as would cer¬ 
tainly be given were the professor to lock horns with the doctor, 
wdio, I understand, is considered good authority on the question 
of sanitary bacteriology, and what the professor w r ould be able to 
say in the defense of our present modes and customs of embalm¬ 
ing might be rated very high, as may be seen in his published 
article, though, as for myself, 1 am willing to wage that the pro¬ 
fessor while specifically right, yet it is scarcely possible for but 
few of our profession to be able to fully manage the more dan¬ 
gerous classes of infectious diseases better than by the careful ob¬ 
servances of all those rules laid down by the sanitary boards, to 
which our present embalming treatment will then become w r hat 
might be styled as a double security against such zymotic and 
other dangers. 


100 


Necrobioligy. 

The Microscope. 

Carpenter also tells us that according to their form, we 
may, by the aid of the microscope, distinguish ball, rod, 
fibre and screw bacteria, but unfortunately the scientists and 
microscopist have failed to define these various germs, as 
they may or may not exist within any particular substance, 
or the question for us now to settle is, Are all classes of 
bacteria liable to collectively or singly impregnate all classes of 
putrelescinating substances ? 

If this is the case, then is the embalmer to simply treat each 
case for “ germs,” without any relation to their class? Other¬ 
wise, specific physical condition may involve a specific bacillus, 
which may be considered and treated more practically, as these 
conditions may show as related one to the other. 

In reviewing this matter from the author’s own experience of 
some fifteen years or more past, his simple plan was to first de¬ 
termine the actual condition of the body and causes of death first, 
for bv this knowledge he was usually enabled to locate special 
disorders of the viscera, or the organs of circulation. 

Then following this came a study of the physical signs by 
noting the actual condition of the body fluids, whether the blood 
fluids were to be found in the veins, or were held back in the 
capillary and flesh cells by clots or cavity gases, locate swollen, 
thickening viscera, observe whether the body fluids are excessive 
or emaciated, putrid or not. If the lymphatic system and fatty 
substances are full, dry and solid, or damp and soft, watery, 
dark or clear color. Note the flesh condition, whether soft and 
fine texture, or muscular and strong open-grained texture. Ob¬ 
serve whether the arteries and veins are large or small, strong or 
diseased, dry or watery. 

Determine the relative proportion of both flesh and blood 
fluids. 

Emaciated, normal, large, or an abnormal physique. 

If dry, damp, spongy, soft, greasy, glossy, or stranded surface. 

Note the color of the flesh, whether palid, yellow, purple, blue, 
brown, livid, black, or red ; general or local blotches. 

Note the color of the veinous blood fluids, whether light, yel¬ 
lowish, purple, or black red. The first may be watery and al¬ 
buminous ; the second may comprise the two first and eczesis, 
of small portions of fibrine. The third may be largely due to the 
albumin oils and amonical condition ; while the fourth color may 
be created by the albuminous and congested state of the fatty and 
sugar substances, as they take on the second stage of fermenta¬ 
tion. A congested fibrine will not flush the face by pressure, and the 
black, or lactic acidity of rich albumin and sacrine substance that 
are also rich with oily substances will impregnate the whole sys¬ 
tem very rapidly, as they apparently go from the white and 
placid flesh, to that of a black and ghastly one. 

We may take two infants of equal age and bodily proportions, 
yet the physical condition may vary greatly in the two, each soft 


101 


Neerodes Classification. 

and delicate flesh, though, when examined closely, one will pos¬ 
sess open porous or firm granular flesh texture, while the other 
may be comprised of flesh substance, extremely soft and tender, 
and knit together so closely and delicately with full rounded flesh 
cells, which all but chafe under the slightest friction. 

With the slightest thickening of this tender flesh, it will fall to 
pieces, because of the flesh texture, while the first one has a flesh 
more susceptible to the expansive forces of the fermenting gases. 

With all infants this composition is such as to comprise a large 
per cent, of sweet serous matter, l he presence of lymph or 
water always hastens the lactic fermenting acidity of both flesh 
cells and fluids of the body. 

There will be at least five general conditions attained by 
chemical reagents, either of which must be made variable by the 
drug compounds according to the physical requirements of each 
subject to be embalmed. 

A seroid or granulated condition of the sachrine matter, ac¬ 
cording to that class of subject. 

Next, a saponified condition of the fatty, oil substances in the 
second class, and a very dense coagulation of the albuminoid 
fluids of the third class. A drug which comprises a proper chem¬ 
ical affinity of emaciation will take away much of the water 
from the gelatin substances, of the fourth class. 

Both the acidity or alkaline bases must be rendered neutral 
in order to prevent new formation of micro organs, with deceased 
bodies of the fifth class. 

Example.—Two children exactly alike in the physical make- . 
up, one killed by accident, the other dies by an attack of disease. 

The first has all the sepsis fluid and flesh cell substances to 
be contended with, while the last by reason of the ravages of the 
disease may not possess but little of this infusion matter. Pos¬ 
sibly much of the lymphatic fluid and water may have been ex¬ 
hausted, and now by the same ration of their presence, or non¬ 
presence, we may measure the probability and future result of 
the deceased child by reason of disease as against that one which 
was killed. However, we must not lose sight of either of the 
two classes which are shown, for each one may be variously re¬ 
classed in the five general stages, and it is true that to each of 
these five of the general stages we will find varying, according to 
the disease, and the various resulting morbid conditions, as these 
are combined with the bodily or physical condition of each subject. 

While with many, there will be plethoric, the blood thick 
and composed of red corpuscels of blood fibrine, sachrine and al- 
buminic fluid substances. When in this condition, the body fig¬ 
ure will be full and round, and often the blood vessels will be 
very dark and possibly gorged. Yet when the body heat passes 
away, the distented blood vessels will settle as their contents be¬ 
come settled into the trunk of the body; but what is of the great¬ 
est consequence now will be found in the fact that this body heat 
will linger in some cases for many hours, and this heat assists 


102 


Necrodes Classification . 

the culture of lactic acid within the body fluids, or if the heat 
passes off a similar heat may follow. 

Ancemia is the common term indicating the poverty of the 
blood corpusels, and it will be understood as the opposite of ple- 
thonia. Yet it does not follow that the body will be emaciated, for 
while this blood poverty always leads to a poverty of the lymphatic 
glands and fatty substances of the body, there may be many 
causes of death which may be such that the body will be full of 
watery fluids, which are also subject to lactic fern entation. The 
plethoric case becomes black from excessive fibrous echmysosis, 
followed by a rapid enlargement of the body, while some of the 
anoemia cases may soon go to pieces without darkening the face 
very badly. Yet uraemia albuminoria are each maladies which 
ought to be separately considered, for the composition of serum, 
blood, mucus, lymph and all abnormal conditions should be made 
a thorough study before any one can hope to become able to 
diagnose a case unless it be some case specially mumified by the 
disease, and one that is so dried up that there is but little flesh and 
blood left for the embalmer to work upon, and the time has now 
come when all this class of subjects are too tame for an embalm¬ 
ing student of today, to mention them. 

When we are called to inspect the body we must be able to 
discriminate between “flesh texture condition,” as well as in the 
“ fluid components,” and we must determine upon various meth¬ 
ods of instrumental operation, for where we see full 
rounded bodies softening and becoming cadavic and nasceous, 
more will depend upon the methods of operation than has form¬ 
erly been supposed {See chapter on diseases ), because if we are 
able to locate the seat of difficulty and treat this properly, all 
trouble may be obviated when the most thorough embalment may 
be done, but if by one oversight this in one organ or cavity should 
be overlooked, the case may be lost for the want of 
special instrumental treatment in order to remove that difficulty, 
and so then we see why local treatment should become specific to 
the extent of specific causes, such as abscesses, engorgements, 
anurisms, ruptures and a long list of diseases of the various organs 
of the body which include so many abnormal and physical con¬ 
ditions of the body that specific treatment is justified in the vari¬ 
ous requirements of the embalmer’s art. 

About the time, or soon after the centennial year, 1876, the 
writer published through the columns of The Casket, saying that 
there was more trouble involved in embalming the body of a per¬ 
son killed by accident than one of similar physique dying from 
the ordinary attack of disease. As I am still of this opinion, I 
will state why; and to be plain, we may say it is because of the 
richness of the body fluids in sachrine matter it contained; 
it is also largely composed of albumin ; third, both the fluids and 
soft flesh cells are made up of rich oil globules. The first sours 
and gelatine may form lactic acid and so foster the agents of 
putrifaction and so spontaneously combine to form amonical fetor. 


103 


Necrodes Classification. 

There are several other classes of substances of both the blood 
and flesh cells and there are also several more possible and prob¬ 
able condition of the organs of digestion that may become the 
propagating medium for microbes of putridity. 

Then closely by side of this last comes the mesenteric system, 
also full of special substances, and side by side of the last two we 
find “ three separate classes of digestive ferments.” All of which 
enter into rapid and expansive energy in the work of destroying 
much of the substances which surround them after death. 

Prompt measures of embalming reagents may correct this 
abdominal putrescence and the same may be done through¬ 
out the larger arteries, but scarcely further than this. 

My theory of this is first because of the sachrine substances 
being found present everywhere throughout the body and flesh 
cells; the sweet fluids sour and break down the oily globules, 
when the albumin thickens as it combines with water, until great 
volumes of hydrogen gases expand each globule and each first 
cell, while a gelatin substance forms, thickens at first, and then 
in a few hours all of the body becomes so involved into ammonial 
fluid and gases, virtually leaves no fleshy substance or the possi¬ 
bility of a chemical reagent that is known of as being strong 
enough to stop this, nature’s work of destruction, unless, as we 
said above, that there be prompt and intelligent measures of em- 
balment, and this under certain fixed conditions of which the sub¬ 
jects, physical conditions, may possibly give, in the first re¬ 
quirement, if this class be embalmed at all, it will be found in a 
fairly large and porous flesh texture, as well as with large arter¬ 
ies. ’ Small arteries, a fine flesh cell texture, and deep fleshy con¬ 
dition are physical conditions which, if kept at all, will require the 
very highest"skill of embalming art. 

A Pocket Lens. 

In my own practice, I began to carry a pocket lens, or micro¬ 
scope, during the fall of 1874, as I had observed some bodies of 
both young and old men, of various physical strength, go into 
the most rapid stages of decomposition after being killed by acci¬ 
dent while working in the timber, or on the railroad, or in the em¬ 
ploy of a charcoal iron furnace. The truth was that no embalm¬ 
ing’fluid which was then on the market at that time would keep 
these bodies, and I wanted to know why. 

I began to study special books of chemistry and morbid 
pathology long before, and yet 1 was unable to make any prac¬ 
tical use of the pocket lense, or the process of injecting the arter¬ 
ies by Dr. Wm. Hunter, or the old Austrian surgeons process 
formulas. In fact, I found the whole book, and embalming form¬ 
ulas of M. Gannal, and of Tranchina, of but little use to me 
when it came to embalming and keeping some of these bodies as I 
thought they ought to be kept, as I rated them by comparing 
them to other similar cases which I had embalmed and kept, and, 
as I then supposed, in the most approved way. Study and close 



104 


Necrodes Classification . 

observation showed me that some bodies required but little atten¬ 
tion, while others would require the most careful and scientific em- 
balment, and then some of these would fall to pieces after a month 
or so. Some time during 1876 or ’77, 1 was called on to superin¬ 
tend the taking up and reshipping of the body of a lady which I 
had embalmed and buried in a plain coffin four months previously, 
and this instance gave me an important insight in the true meth¬ 
ods for inspecting the bodies after embalming them, and it was 
then when 1 began to clearly see that embalming was a pro¬ 
gressive science, for while a given formula and a given process 
would do for say fifty or sixty per cent, of cases, this would 
not do for all cases, because of both physical and pathological 
hindrances. The sexton that had charge of the men employed to 
open the grave and take the coffin out, had provided a pole and a 
hook which was used to remove the first board and break the 
glass. June, July, August and September were all hot months, 
and so 1 was prepared for animonical gases, which, after showering 
the box with disinfectants, passed away in a few minutes. After 
the body was raised and saturated with' my disinfectant, it was 
taken to my place of business and carefully examined. Some 
small portions were examined daily for some weeks, and side by 
side of this 1 took up the study of special bacteriology and fol¬ 
lowed this soon afterwards into the special study of microscopy, 
for I had discoverd that a specific phyiscal condition would always 
be followed by certain classes of micro organisms, due to specific 
causes; however, while prosecuting this study, 1 found that 
Hunter, Liebig and M. Pasteur had each shown this and that it 
was already a well-known and established science. Yet I got a 
new theory for providing ways and means of embalment under 
fixed rules of my own observation. My friend, Mr. Mark Rem¬ 
ington, agent of the West Michigan R’y, took charge of the body 
spoken of and shipped it through Chicago to some place in the 
North-West and this in a new pine box and in the same wood 
coffin that was taken from the grave. 

After a lew trips to Chicago, Detroit, Grand Rapids, and other 
cities, I determined to reduce my idea, if possible, to a practical 
method for classifying certain forms of body decay, and if possi¬ 
ble arrive at better methods for treating and embalming them all. 
As a triple pocket lens has greatly assisted me, I would say to 
others to try it, and especially try to determine upon some way by 
which to enable yourselves and other students of the profession 
to know a specially dangerous body physique as soon as they 
see them, then all will agree with me that specific operations are 
no less important than the drug we profess to know and use. If 
each of our practicing embalmers will begin all their observations 
by a simple class rating of each, it will not be long until some 
new and surprising discoveries will be made for themselves, and 
some of these no doubt may probably prove of the most practical 
value to all who study for the professional advancement of all 
who are honorably engaged in the work. 


Diseases anb ©jeir Helation to pntrescion anb 

Boby Dissolution. 


Morbid stages which interrupt the normal functions of 
the body is called disease. When these disturbing influ¬ 
ences, either from injury or some morbid causes, may so 
far deviate from the normal function of life to that ex¬ 
tent which by many ways destroys respiration and the 
heart’s action—this is called death. After this the body 
juices cease their chemical activity in their work of gen¬ 
erating electricity, heat and magnetism. Then it is 
that various species of animal and vegetable growth are 
produced and may be classed as bacilli according to that 
of various kinds that are known to each class of sub¬ 
stance matter to which each species belong, when this 
stage is called putridity. To go still further, we may by 
the use of the microscope trace many of these animalcu- 
tions by their well-known fungi cellular growth according 
to form, class and species, from production to that of 
what the microscopist says are reproduction of other 
species of bacilli until all former substances of the de¬ 
ceased body are lost by many of natures forms of decay 
and dissolution. 

General pathology may be in error with the true class 
and stages of some disease, but there are now very few 
maladies which are not fully known and described by the 
many acknowledged authorities on the history and treat¬ 
ment of all classes of disease. AVhat is of interest to 
‘ the embalming student, is to know that many patholo¬ 
gists have become so expert with the microscope that 
they can trace many of these diseases far beyond the 
morbid stages of life. As bacteriologists, they may fol¬ 
low the marks of morbation or necrobiosis to that of 
putrescation and so give us the true and specific history 
of each phenomina of nature’s laws and process, which 
take all such body substances back to the elements, 
which are said to surround the universe. 

As methods of study and experiment have been neces¬ 
sary to follow and battle with the scoraging ravages of 
disease, and so much has been done and so shown and 
acknowledged with its many grand benefits for suffering 
humanity, why should not the modern embalmer, as a 



106 


Diseases of the Lungs. 

specialist and professional man, take up that; science 
which is shown to belong to what are nothing less than 
stepping blocks for the higher necrobiotic sciences as it 
relates to the dead ? In this manner study methods _ as 
well as processes, and - so strive to make a more scientific 
and exact observation of what relates to a better and 
more successful way for embalming those deceased bod¬ 
ies which the public place under their care for treat¬ 
ment, inasmuch as they now profess to do that work. 

Now to do so means something, or are we to consider it 
unimportant. No professional knowledge or culture can 
be attained as it should be done, except that which is ac¬ 
complished by a vast amount of hard study. 

Possibly there may be some few exceptions, but those 
who will take up the sciences relating to embalming and 
studiously apply their minds to those studies, will no 
doubt see the time in the near future when they will be 
received and respected as men of an. honorable station in 
life’s calling. While embalming is not any part of mod¬ 
ern religion as with the Egyptians, it has a much higher 
place, as a safeguard in the proper sanitation as well as 
for the many benefits in retaining the dead for ship¬ 
ment or in reuniting absent relatives and friends. In 
this manner this new custom strengthens the bonds of 
humanity and Christian principles. Thus it is that mod¬ 
ern embalming has become no idle falacy, nor an experi¬ 
ment of the curiously inclined, but it has become a pro¬ 
per requirement as grown from recent safe and consider¬ 
ate methods in the higher achievements of the human 
affairs of every day life. A new vocation has arisen 
which can only be supplied by the intelligent and ener¬ 
getic students who will faithfully prepare themselves for 
doing the work in as trustworthy manner as could be ex¬ 
pected from men of this or any other profession. 

Death, as Caused by Diseases of the Lungs. 

The principal affections of the lungs which are more 
or less liable to cause death are given by the pathologist 
in five distinct classes. Each of these are known by 
their specific symptoms as are shown to result from the 
morbid attact upon certain parts of the body and so 
create a local or general disturbance of the normal func¬ 
tions of life. As these various disturbances by this man¬ 
ner of destroying life may destroy or otherwise derange 
the internal organs of the body, the embalmer must 
know the precise extent of such local or general de¬ 
rangements, before any intelligent and successful em¬ 
balming can be made, by any- method for practical and 
theoretical embalment. 

Lung diseases have many uncertain complications 


107 


Diseases of the Lungs. 

which may be caused by various diseased attacts upon 
other organs of the body. The principal diseases of the 
lungs are Pneumonia , Pleurisy , Emphysema , Asthma and 
two forms of Consumption. Space prevents giving any 
lengthy discription of these diseases or the definitions 
of the many medical words. See dictionary. 

Under this head the embalmer will learn the primary 
causes of death, and as there are several well defined 
varieties or classes of disease of the lungs, it will be well 
for them to study each class in order to learn what may 
be the actual condition of the lungs or what other or¬ 
gans of the body may be diseased also, by reason of 
some complication. 

PNEUMONIA. —Caused from cold and wet, from in¬ 
jury or typhoid fever. 

Its progress is rapid. In pneumonia the breath be¬ 
comes purulent; the lower or middle lobes become con¬ 
gested or engorged, followed by softening, or purulent 
infiltration. See fig. 29. 

Death rarely occurs before the sixth day by asphyxia 
and later by exhaustion. Sometimes an abscess forms 
gangrene of the lungs. 

The worst form of this disease is said to be when com¬ 
plicated with other diseases—like typhoid fever. 

PLEURISY.— Inflammation of the pleura (lining mem¬ 
brane) which encloses the lungs and reflects upon the in¬ 
ner surface of the thorax. See fig. 29. Transverse sec¬ 
tion of the thorax. 

This disease takes place generally after a chill or cold 
stage. The disease usually centers in the lower axillary 
region collecting into serous fluid or pus from an abscess 
which ruptures the lung. Sometimes the fluid may 
displace the heart, lungs and liver, and bulge the 
ribs and soft places. Physicians have frequently used 
the aspirating needle to draw this fluid out of the chest. 

The embalmer will observe that when the face of the 
dead blackens or becomes livid with blotches, it is usually 
because some abscess of the lung, pulmonary gangrene, 
or emphysema of the lung, and the trocar should always 
be used in drawing out this fluid. In fact, I always feel 
justified in using the knife when there is any great en¬ 
gorgement of the chest, especially so when the trocar 
fails to draw off this pus fluid, and then by injecting the 
embalming fluid into the cavity around the lungs and 
heart, and also by injecting the same fluid into the lungs 
and arteries we may stop the thickening of the flesh of 
these organs of the chest, and so destroy all fetid gases 
and by this means secure a good appearance of the face. 
Fig. 27. 

While arterial embalment may accomplish this re- 


108 


Diseases of the Lungs. 

suit by use of a good fluid, yet, when we consider the un¬ 
reliability of some fluids and this coupled with the en¬ 
gorgement of the chest, as a rule in both children and 
adults, we will recommend that every precaution be ob¬ 
served by the most -thorough use of the trocar in order 
to locate and remove the obnoxious pus fluids should 
there be any. See Balls’ lecture. 

EMPHYSEMA.—This is the dilation of the pulmon¬ 
ary air-cell of both lungs. It causes bulging of the chest 
and sometimes the displacement of the heart and liver. 

The word Emphysema means (I inflate) and it may be caused 
by injuries of the larynx, trachea, or lungs, fractures of the ribs 
or wounds penetrating the chest. There are four classes—acci¬ 
dental, or symptomatic, the spontaneous and idiopathic. Known 
and classed by the cause and manner of affecting certain locations 
like the Pleura. The progress of this disease may be gradual in 
old persons, but is likely to prove more rapid in the younger 
classes, where abscesses and liquid infiltrations may be found in 
some of the complicated cases. 

Collapse of the Lung 1 .—In severe cases of whooping 
cough, bronchitis, especially in children, there may be 
considerable obstruction of the air cells which may lead 
to an exhaustion similar to pneumonia, and so is consid¬ 
ered as always fatal to both children and aged persons, 
and the embalmer should use care according to the gen¬ 
eral rule of treating this as in all other lung troubles, 
because there is to be found a large quantity of blood 
fluids which are likely to be rich in the fats, oils and 
lymph fluids of the body and this is especially so with so 
manv children of former robust temperaments. See 
fig . S3. 

ASTHMA.—When complicated with an enlargement of 
the heart or some pulmonary trouble may give ttie em¬ 
balmer no small amount of trouble in order to hold the 
body from going to peices in a very short time. This dis¬ 
ease is said to be hereditary in most cases; but one 
thing is quite apparent and that is, so many corpulent 
persons are afflicted with it and we also see that the com¬ 
plication is like that of heart trouble and diseases which 
may result in death by apoplexy, and so we will cite the 
reader to the chapter upon that subject. 

CONSUMPTION.—This is a disease which is mostly 
hereditary, though this disease may follow a severe at¬ 
tack of Acute Bronchitis. Most common within the 
ages of 18 to 35 . Sometimes syphilitic disorder may 
show very similar to Consumption. 

Great emaciation, chills and sweating of the feet are 
last condition, though patients sometimes live for years, 
though complicational diseases are frequent. 


109 


Organs of Circulation. 

Death by Asthenia Exhaustion. 

Galloping- consumption, known as acute Phthisis, may 
end life in two or three months, it sometimes follows 
pneumonia. This disease differs from the ordinary stages 
of consumption chieffy in its rate of progress. Soften¬ 
ing of the tubercle, and the formation of cavities do not 
always occur to any extent, apnoea being caused by ex¬ 
tensive defusion, or infiltration of the tuberclosis de- 
posite through the lungs, and death by suffocation may 
follow. First, from hemorrage. Second, rupture of a 
large vomica, an encyrtia collection of purulent matter 
in the interior of a virus, breaking into the bronchial 
tube, caused by an abscess or softening of the tissue. 
Sometimes these bronchial abscesses may discharge into 
the cavity of the pleura, causing emhpyema, and death 
as the result of about all of the advanced stages of quick 
consumption. And for the embalmers to successfully 
handle many of these subjects will require a well studied 
method for treating each case, and this largely by what 
may be required by the physical condition of each one, 
for a plethoric, or sacchri-albumic child or adult, will be 
vastly different from that class of diseased bodies of 
pallor flesh and emaciated bodies, usually found in most 
of the lingering stages of consumption, when great 
emaciation takes away the tody fluids. Cadavic 
softening usually follows in this class of bodies, and some 
considerable attention must be given them, if such bodies 
are to be embalmed and retained for more than the usual 
time. (See methods for Embalming.) Pathologists say 
that hereditary taints of consumption, syphilitic disorder, 
alcoholic and excessive abuses, lead to many complica- 
tional diseases, with both the chronic and acute forms 
of Phthisis. 

Death by Diseases of the Organs or Circulation. 

Diseases affecting the blood vessels, or the organs of 
circulation are known as : Pericarditis, Endrocarditis, 
Anurisms, Apoplexy. 

PERICARDITIS. —Inflamation of the covering mem¬ 
brane of the heart. There are two varities known to the 
physician, simple and rheumatic pericorditis. See fig. 29. 
Stages: adhesive and effusion. 

In this disease there is great danger of life with all 
classes of persons and usually terminates in a few days. 
Bright’s disease of the kidney is occasionally associated 
with it. With all cases of. internal disease the em¬ 
balming surgeon must be governed by the physical 
body conditions which each one may present, for it is 
found that in most of the fatal cases there will be a 


110 


Organs of Circulation. 

quantity of effused serum, varing in quantity from a few 
ounces to pints or possible a greater quantity of it, and 
if so, it will weigh down the diaphragm and so be found 
in close proximity of the stomach, and in some cases 
there will be a purulent fetid gas which will become 
very obnoxious. 

ENDROCARDITIS.—Inflamation of the lining mem¬ 
brane of the heart. 

This disease, like that of pericarditis, has the same 
origin, valvular disorder, and enlargement of the 
heart, also fatty degeneration may be variously com¬ 
bined with kindred diseases and so the embalmer will 
hear many reports of heart disease. 

While heart failure may be a common verdict of the 
physician for so many deaths, it is rarely that they are 
not able to give the true diagnostic causes of these two 
forms of heart trouble. Persons, stout, very large or 
corpulent are most commonly attacted by heart trouble 
and it also seems that it is just this class of persons who 
are more or less people of business or social prominence, 
and the writer will say that of all the many enquiries 
asked of him by so many embalmers all over the country 
this question of “ how shall I treat and embalm” a body 
after death by heart trouble, or that of apoplexy is 
the most frequently asked. There are two reasons for 
each of these cases; one is because such bodies 
are hard to keep if not well and thoroughly treated by 
both instrumental and chemical measures, and also these 
persons are of a naturally prominent predisposition and 
so all eyes of the neighbors are turned to them while un¬ 
der the embalmers care, and so here centers more than a 
double interest for both the embalmers and his patrons 
and the friends of the deceased. 

DEATH BY APOPLEXY.—We are told that there 

are four general forms of diseases which result in violent 
or sudden modes of death called apoplexy. 

Good authority sustains the theory of but two forms 
of death which may be caused by congested, state of 
the blood, or that of a hemorrhagic character. Yet 
there seems to be a strongly laid claim for two more 
forms of attack. These are classed as serous Apo¬ 
plexy and nervous Apoplexy. While it is not possible 
for me to enter into a full detail of all these separate 
diseased character, I desire to show the modern embalm¬ 
ers enough of the important features so that they can 
readily understand that valvular diseases of the heart, 
fatty degeneration of the heart or the arteries, rheu¬ 
matism or some pulmonary affection, or some possible 
debility of the muscular walls of the heart or arteries 
may cause sudden or unexpected death, and under this 


Ill 


Organs of Circulation. 

head we might add still other modes of death as may be 
caused by an anurism of the Thorax, or abdominal ar¬ 
teries. But as each of these modes of attacks are en¬ 
cumbered with so many intricate casualties, I will only 
note a few of the principle causes of Apoplexy. With 
the congestive Apoplexy death is directly caused by 
blood clot or a pressure upon the brain and the next is 
by hemorrhages. 

Death by Hemorrhages. 

This may be caused by wounds or when under the sur¬ 
geon's operations. Sometimes by typhoid, yellow or re¬ 
mitting fever, all of which are termed critical. 

PULMONARY APOPLEXY.—The heart and sev¬ 
eral other organs may be variously affected by hemor¬ 
rhage followed by death in many ways. 

Hermoragic Apoplexy.—Death is the result of a 
rupture of a fatty degenerated artery, or the heart 
may burst open, or an anurism may form a false sac or 
tumor of some artery or vein, and finally destroy life by 
Apoplexy or heart trouble. My observation has been 
that persons subject to this class of disease are of large 
physical frame, large heart and large arteries, and in 
fact so many persons of public prominence, are liable 
to some mode of sudden death by Apoplexy or heart 
trouble. Of all adult maladies, this class seems to be 
the most common. While Dropsy, Hasty Consumption, 
death by accident, inflammation of the bowels and pul¬ 
monary trouble are diseases which destroy life by so 
many complicated ways that the embalmer will so often 
feel puzzled to know just what the result of his work will 
be, as there will be so many things which he cannot quite 
understand, and therefore all should be careful in laying 
any great claim upon the result of any specific operation 
or method of operation until all possibility of failure 
may pass and show as time elapses, that the embalming 
reagents are doing good work. In all cases of sudden 
death it will be found that such bodies present the full 
amount of blood and flesh juices they contain, in a way 
and under conditions which become the most perplexing 
for the embalmers to dispose of, and the more we know 
of the true chemistry of the human body and the 
anatomical structure, of the organ which circulates these 
fluids of the body, and go to make up the flesh, oils, fats 
and 1 the Lymphatic system, the better they will under¬ 
stand how to either remove these fluids or stop the sour¬ 
ing and the breaking down process of the flesh and fat 
cells of tissue as the rapid process of fermentation takes 
place. See chapter —“Spontaneous Dissolution of the 
Human Body”—written some fifteen years ago. 


112 Organs of Digestion. 

In order to show the primary causes which make 
Apoplectic and similar cases so much worse than similar 
bodies of similar weight and appearance, I will say the 
actual condition of the blood, or rather the juices of the 
flesh are such as will foster the putresscing condition 
at once. These fluids are sweet, oily and albumic. See 
page 32. 

Death by Diseases Affecting the Organs of Digestion. 

Perhaps there is but few maladies which are more 
dangerous to children than those diseases which affect 
the organs of digestion, and are known as inflammation 
of the stomach and bowels, peritonitis, and complication 
with malarial, typhoid and other fevers. Various stages 
of bodily emaciation may be met with by the embalmer 
in cases of some lingering fevers, but the diseases spoken 
of as inflammations, death may occur before the process 
of the disease removes any amount of the body or flesh 
juices. So various stages of rabid, or sporific putresca- 
tion may follow death very soon after the patient digs. 

Inflamatory diseases in the mouth may lead to ser¬ 
ious difficulties, especially with children. 

Fever and constitutional conditions may lead to ex¬ 
treme inflamations like gangreen, ulceration and morti¬ 
fication may go on rapidly and lead to death, and with 
this line of diseases we may see chronic gastritis or 
chronic inflamation, ulcerations of the stomach most 
often met with in feeble women in middle life. 

Cancer of the stomach which seldom occurs before 
the age of forty or when the duration of life of a child is 
about one year, seldom two years old. 

PERITONITIES.—Inflamation of the lining mem¬ 
brane of the abdomen. See cut showing the reflection of the 
peritoneum. Fig. 31. 

This is a most dangerous disease which all classes , 
may be subjected to. It is caused by exposure, colds, 
falls, blows, injuries, or may be caused by abscess of the 
liver, perforation of gastric or internal ulceration, as in 
typhoid fever. The patient soon dies in great agony. 
The abdomen is usually greatly swollen, and as a rule con¬ 
tains a large amount of fluid which is accompanied with 
sickening gases. 

Death by Diseases Affecting the Liver. 

Acute congestion and chronic congestion of the liver. 

It is said that Dyspepsia or intermitting fever, or remit¬ 
ting fever, may soon lead to complication like Hepalitis, 
Gastro Heptic, Catarrh, inflammation and abscess of the 
liver and jaundice, followed by acute yellow athropy, 


Dropsy. 113 

and so bring on death by blood poison. Other forms of 
diseased liver are known as cirshosis, or gin liver, fatty 
liver, waxy liver, or enlargement, syphilitic liver, cancer 
of the liver, followed by dropsy. 

In Acute Hepatitis, an abscess may send a suppurated 
puss into the stomach or bowels, and by this means cause 
a great deal of gas and fluids to collect in the abdominal 
cavity, and by this reason cause death before any 
marked degree of emaciation has taken place. And 
when this does occur, great care should be taken in lo¬ 
cating this fluid pus, which should^be removed by the 
aspirator or trocar, when by filling the cavity and ar¬ 
teries and the lungs with a reasonable amount of em¬ 
balming fluid, no serious trouble will be likely to occur. 
As a rule, all cases of liver complaint are of long stand¬ 
ing, and this will use up the fluid constituents of the 
body* and so be in every way much like a case of con¬ 
sumption. 

Dropsy affections are classed into several varieties, 
and so becomes a disease too complex for the limited 
space we have in this book, because, 1. Local ;infil- 
tration of connection tissue. 2. General cellular dropsy. 
3. Hydro-cephulus, and 4. Ovarian Dropsy. Figs. 35-36. 

Obstruction to the organs of circulation—Absorption 
and excess of water in the blood are said to be the causes 
of Dropsy. Disease of the liver, heart and kidneys, and 
Peritoneal Dropsy accumulate water in the abdomen. 
While Ovarian Dropsy may be classed as ovarian tumor, 
which, if death has been caused by the malady, will cause 
the embalmer some trouble to keep well unless they draw 
off the watery fluids found within the abdominal cavity. 
The face, neck and arms may be emaciated while the ab¬ 
domen is greatly enlarged. The quantity of the fluid is 
sometimes as much as 25 pints, which is generally clear 
yellow or colorless, albuminous and alkaline. Certain 
forms of Dropsy may fill and enlarge the seratum ; also, 
Ovarian Dropsy, the last as well as the first, is bad to 
handle. 

With Dropsy I find it best to tap the body and drain 
them well, and by injecting the arteries full of embalm¬ 
ing fluid and in the meantime leave the abdominal cavity 
and other incisions open for some considerable time in 
order to dispose of all the souring fluid of the body. See 
Fig. 28. 

But when death has resulted from the knife in hands 
of the surgeon (See Fig. 35-36), or soon after, there ought 
not be any serious trouble encountered after the water 
has been well drawn out of the body and then properly 
embalmed by injecting the arteries and lungs and thorax 
cavity, in all cases where the puffed condition of the 


114 Bright 1 s Disease. 

flesh remain thickened by reason of the fluids or gases. 

Death by Diseases Affecting the Kidneys and Bladder. 

CONGESTION.-^This disease is similar to Bright's 
disease, and known’as 

TJRiEMIA.—This disease contaminates the blood and 
soon ends fatally by complication and blood poisons. 

Blood corpuscles are sometimes found in urine and 
following this may come white deposits in other affiec- 
tions. A creamy white flocculent and at other times a 
greenish deposit is found and this forms a jelly liquid 
pus. While with other body fluid, blood corpuscles, mucus 
curpuscles, eliptical cells, tubular casts, uric acid 
crystals, phosphate and lime deposits, oil globules, fatty 
matter, gelitine, chyle corpuscles, lymph, albumen and 
sugar or possibly all flesh substance may become reduced 
to water. 

In diseases like diabetis, sugar or glucose, albumin- 
aria, albumen occurs and may follow such affection as 
scarlatina, diphtheria and venal congestion, and so ma}' 
leave the body fluids in abnormal quality and various pro¬ 
portions of quantity. 

While certain stages of other disease may have re¬ 
moved the greater portion of these fluids in some cases. 
There will be other cases when an over amount of these 
fluids will remain in the body. 

When this fluid ma}^ be found located in the kidneys 
and bladder, it may be drawn off by the aspirator or 
some similar instrumental process, but when certain de- 
sease condition leaves this uric fluid within the blood 
and capillary vessels, much greater care must be ob¬ 
served by the process of treating the fluids found in 
that this class of deceased bodies, as against that of the 
emaciated classes. 

BRIGHT’S DISEASE, or speaking more correctly, 
disease of the kidneys. A malady said to be mbre com¬ 
mon in males than females and to occur more often be¬ 
tween the age of 45-65 Death results through com¬ 
plications like pneumonia, peritonitis, dropsy or similar 
diseases. 

Stone in the kidney or bladder frequently destroy life 
in men after 50 years old. 

DIABETIS INSIPIDUS^, causes an excessive dis¬ 
charge of colorless urine. Most common in men after 30 
years old, and the duration may last but for a few weeks 
with some while .in others it may last for some years. 

DIABETIS NELLiITUS is a form of disease which 
shows sugar in the urine. Is considered the most unfa¬ 
vorable, and the younger patients which show traces of 


/ 


Diseases of the Brain. 

this or albumenaries symptoms are marked as incurable, 
and hetic fever, diarrhoea or pulmonary consumption 
terminates the case. 

Boils, carbuncles, gangrene may be found as present¬ 
ing but a loathsome case for the embalmer to treat. 

P Dropsy of the kidney, rupture of the kidney, cancer 
of the kidney, tubercle of the kidney make a very serious 
class of disease maladies which take all ages from child¬ 
hood up. 

Death by Diseases Affecting the Brain.—Nervous System. 

CONGESTION OF THE BRAIN.—The attact with 
adults is usually late in life; wiith chldren at all periods. 
Convulsions may appear, gastric fever, infantile remit¬ 
tent, cerebral inflammation and cholera infantum are fre¬ 
quently attended by symptoms of bran fever. Between 
the age of fifteen and forty-five is the age most subject 
to this disease complications, and the majority of cases 
die in convulsions in from a few days to a few weeks. 

DROPSY of the brain is usually an affection of early 
life. These usually die in a few months. 

SOFTENING OF THE BRAIN.—Abscess, some¬ 
times gangrene result from injury. Generally most 
cases die within two weeks, frequently in two or three 

d.3.VS 

“ WHITE SOFTENING ” or degeneration of the 
brain may result from old age, intense mental labor, or 
intemperance are the usual causes of this disease. Death 
always follows after a period of a few months at most. 

INFLAMMATION of the spinal marrow. Spinal men- 
gitis, inflammation, ulceration and gangrene. Similar to 
cerebro-spinal mengitis or spotted fever. Death the 
rule. 

SUNSTROKE.—Severe cases may end in death by 
convulsions or be followed with more or less serious con¬ 
sequences through various nervous disorders. 

Tetanis.—Lock Jaw. 

A disease characterized by certain contraction of the 
voluntary muscles. This disease has two or three forms. 
The most fatal is caused by an injury, such as lacerated 
or punctured wounds, sometimes amputation and other 
surgical operations may be followed by sensitive spasm, 
ending in death in a few days. 

Diseases Ending in Death by Hydrophobia. 

This horrible disease has been disputed by some prom¬ 
inent physicians, who term the actact as being tetanis or 
lock jaw, since the symptoms are so very similar. A 


t 


116 Contagious. 

month or more after the bite of a rabid dog - or other rab¬ 
id animal, the wound having healed, irritation com¬ 
mences in it, spasm, gasping and choaking, intense thirst 
and great distress followed by death in from four to ten 
days. It may be well to say that canine madness is not 
restricted to hot weather but may occur at any time 
of the year. 

Death Ending in Delerium Tremens. 

Intemperance followed by sleepless nights, great pros¬ 
tration. Death must result within a week or two at 
most if sleep is not obtained. As professionals, we often 
hear the remark that such and such persons are already 
pickeled, but experience with many such cases, show the 
writer that all such are far from being embalmed, for 
the flesh condition, coupled with that of the fluids of the 
body, are far from making such cases favorable. The 
truth is, all such are quite the opposite and very active 
measures must be taken in order to successfully embalm 
them. 

Dangerous Contagions. — Diseases Ending in Death from 

Morbid Poison. 

Epidemic, eruptive and contagious Malignant Small¬ 
pox attended by violent and rapid prostration; attended 
with pustutation and sometimes a livid eruption of the 
skin; abcesses in various parts of the body; hard glandu¬ 
lar enlargements may occur. Thousands die annually. 
While smallpox may be successfully embalmed and put 
into condition to make such subjects reasonably safe to 
exhibit to their friends, my advice is to keep away from 
them,for the smallest oversight might cause very serious 
trouble to follow. Therefore let sanitary physicians 
handle and direct the disposal of such cases. 

Measels. 

This is a contagion with children, though in the late 
war there was a disease called camp measels. This as¬ 
sumed a typous character and many soldiers died with it. 
Diptheria and consumption may follow with fatal re¬ 
sults. 

Mumps may affect the brain by sudden attacts caused 
by exposure and will cause death in two or three ways of 
complicated inflammations. Death is rare with hooping 
cough. Exhaustion, pneumonia and consumption may 
follow this trouble with children mostly, 

Death from Diphtheria-Membranous.—Putred sore 
throat epidemic of it may be in general or confined to 



Fevers. 117 

local districts, and there are four general forms of this 
disease—the Copous, Ulcerative and Malignant. 

The first cause-s the greatest number of deaths, es¬ 
pecially in children, as this form of the disease seems 
especially to follow measles or scarlatina. Great dis¬ 
comfort in the throat followed by an abundant brownish 
leathery exudition is found to cover the tonsils, which 
are greatly swollen, when the obstruction to breathe 
causes death by asphyxia in a very few days. 

In Malignant Diphtheria, the leathery coating 
changes and the tonsils and glands enlarge and become 
black and give an offensive odor. Great prostration fol¬ 
lowed by clammy coldness coma often precedes death, 
whiph is usually in from three to five days. 

Dangerous Glanders.—It will be important to know 
that this disease may be taken from the horse. After a 
few days incubation fever and pain similar to rheuma¬ 
tism, followed by red patches over the body, gangrenous 
purtules appear on the face, muco purulent discharge 
from the nose, fetid odors and death within three weeks. 

INFLUENZA—Epidemic of Catarrh.—Mortality of 
this disease is far the greatest with old people, as they 
are especially apt to be carried off with it in some compli¬ 
cation like Pneumonia or Influenza. This disease is some¬ 
times called the Grip. 

Fevers. 

With Typhoid Fevers and other maladies, like nervous 
fever, common continued lever, entric fever, abdominal typhus 
fevers, perpurial fever, and several other classses, which, owing 
to the many complications, cannot be described in this work, but 
to give the embalming student an outline of these, 1 will say that 
with <he advanced stages of all classes of fevers, the patient is 
overcome by great languor, and usually there is great emaciation 
of all the body substances in the typhoid form, bed sores may 
supervene, suppression of the urine, haemorrhage from the bowels, 
cold sweat, possible abscesses may appear in various parts of the 
body, such as in the glands and connecting tissues, but what is of 
the most dangerous nature is, the intestines may becon e perfor¬ 
ated by the deep ulcerations of what are known as Peyers Glands, 
causing death. By this or various o her stages that may give the 
embalmer more or less trouble, owing to the physical derangements 
which follow, or by some fatal complication like that of Sup¬ 
purative peritonitis, pne monia, inflammation of the brain, when 
recovery is said to be of rare occurrane. 

MALARIAL FEVER—Intermittent, Remittent and 
Pernicious Fever.—With the first short high fever, 
though enlargement and softening of the spleen and 
engorgement of the liver, or Dropsy may follow. Remit¬ 
ting or Billious F^ver with high pulse, 110 to 115 beats 


118 Professional Dangers. 

per minute, followed by inflammation of the brain or 
Typhoid Fever. 

Erysipelas. 

This disease has two known varieties, and are called traumatic 
and idiophatic, and are diseases which may become local or gen¬ 
eral, though the eruptions most often occur upon the face, and 
slowly spread from part to part, when moderate heat and swell¬ 
ings may be followed with eruptions all over the body and pos¬ 
sibly cause suppurations or sloughing that may involve the 
subcutaneous cellular tissue, especially upon the limbs. The dan¬ 
ger of the disease itself is in the traumatic or secondary erysipelas 
from that of injury or abcess, which it starts from. The disease 
has no definite period of duration, but may be followed by delir¬ 
ium, inflammation of the brain or fatal coma. 

Professional Dangers. 

Were all the embalming students permitted to visit some 
of the great hospitals in company with the medical students as 
they t make their trip in morning clinics, and be enabled to see 
some of the many loathsome diseases with their various disgusting 
body marks, it would then be scarcely necessary for this word 
of caution upon what relates to dangers of handling such bodies, 
and especially so when they know that under trifling conditions 
this septic poison may be transplanted upon their own bodies 
through contact with a slight abrasion or sore on the hand 
or wrist. And in pointing out the various classes of diseases 
which the embalmer is cautioned against, it may be said that it 
is not possible to deal with either one of them "more than as a 
matter of caution and how to avoid all of them. There are 
now many volumes which the science of medicine has given to 
each one of these diseases, and the vastness of this history 
makes it quite impossible for me to say more concerning them 
farther than by name and what the nature of these diseases and 
the dangers are, and how it is that much of such diseases may 
be avoided. For I am told by good authority that there has 
been several prominent physicians who transplanted upon them¬ 
selves some of the loathsome disease from the patients that they 
were treating at the time. 

SYPHILIS. —This disease is generally an infectious dis¬ 
order—both acquired and transmissible by inheritance—and ac¬ 
cording to Dr. Jas. N. Hyde it is chronic in course and display¬ 
ing in a determinate order specific symptoms, which may be 
declared in one organ of the body or simultaneously or success¬ 
ively in several parts of the body. It is to be classed as a virus 
infection, and the embalmer should know that this infection is 
due to the invasion of the flesh tissues of the body by micro¬ 
organisms, whose identity and relations have not yet been estab¬ 
lished as in other diseases of the same class, such as tuberculosis, 
lepra, and mycosis fungoides. 


119 


Professional Dangers. 

Surgeons have been inoculated by manual contact, both in 
operations and while engaged in work of autopsy, and chancre 
of the toe, nose and upon various other parts of the body, by 
some accidental contact with the virus, known as granulomato, 
which is always marked by some local lesion, and all scars, 
pustulu, chancre, sores, ulcers and skin disorders must be avoided 
at ah times. No matter what the social standing of the person 
or the families may be, for the greatest dangers may lurk with 
even skin pimples or some slightly morbid skin derangement. 

Dr. Morrow says that the changes in the skin caused by 
syphilis embrace almost every form of lesion which the structure 
of this organ is capable of producing—Macules, Papules, Pus¬ 
tules, Bullae, Tubercles—while it is to be regretted that the sec¬ 
ondary changes of scalded portions of the skin cannot be shown 
both in a lored pictures to illustrate its many varieties of cutan¬ 
eous manifestations of the aquired form of Syphilis, as in crust¬ 
ing, ulcerations, and cicatrization, that Dr. Morrow has shown 
by illustration, which so closely imitates every variety and form 
of syphiletic lesion, and the eruption skin disorders which are 
due to the most dangerous classes and conditions of that disease. 

The embalmer should guard aganst making any contact 
with the poison from all eruptions, pimples and sores found upon 
the bodies of the dead, and especially that class of cadeavers in 
the advanced stages of putrefaction, as cadavic poison is con¬ 
sidered highly poisonous, and should some accidental cut or 
abrasion of a hand or finger be brought into contact with such 
poison, no matter whether it be a case of syphilis or not, great 
care should be taken to have the wound cauterized by some doc¬ 
tor, in order to avoid the possible danger of its being inoculated. 
And while embalming fluids are supposed to distroy the septic 
poison from all flesh substances, yet there are but few responsi¬ 
ble guarantees that these embalming preparations will be any 
absolute guarantee in destroying all the septic poison from any 
particular gumatuous deposite, or pus from various ulcera¬ 
tive abscesses, and the infiltrations of either fluids or gasses from 
any kind or class of animal putrefying substances, no matter 
what the original disease or cause may have been. 

There are many forms of Syphilis and other venerial disorders, 
and then comes such dangers as from diseases like Glanders, 
Influenza, Malignant .Gptheria, Black Erysiphilis, Small-pox, 
Yellow Fever, and perhaps a few other epidemic and zymotic 
diseases which are considered so dangerous to the public, and are 
also so varied and complexed in what pertains to a. proper history 
of each of these diseases, that I feel it my duty to say to all true 
students of the modern embalming art that as these above diseases 
are now to be considered under the strict supervision of a sanitary 
board, comprised of men skilled in dealing with these epidemic 
and contageous diseases, and it becomes the duty of the em¬ 
balmer, as a good citizen and an intelligent, professional servant 
of the public, that whatever cases of any of the above diseases 


120 


Unprofessional. 

he may be required to professionally handle, all such work be 
done only by and through the co-operation, and under the strict 
supervision of at least the majority of the sanitary boards, which 
the state laws have appointed to look after as a public safeguard, 
and to do otherwise would not only be a disregard of the opin¬ 
ions of men who are much better acquainted with all that per¬ 
tains to the history of sanitary sciences, but it would lower our 
professional calling as specialists in all those who place their re¬ 
liances upon the known and established sciences of the medical 
profession, as perhaps, the greatest savants of humane hap¬ 
piness. 

Unprofessional. 

What ought to be discouraged is those men who advertise 
themselves as being arterial embalmers, cavity embalmers, 
scientific embalmers by the latest and most perfect process known 
to the art, or by them' discovered in the art of embalming which 
makes the worst cases keep and look lifelike, and a long line of 
such profound wonders, which the world never heard of until the 
self-blown card was printed to announce their various names to 
the world in just the same way, and for the same purposes, as 
that of any other false doctor or so-called scientist. 

In considering the question of embalming remedies, it may be 
said that, as the business grows in its advancement to that of a 
profession, there are many new things which come to the light by 
a better understanding of what are now required of this art to 
meet the demands of modern public requirements. 

When the use of ice was discontinued for the many conven¬ 
iences of stomach and cavity embalmers, it was supposed by 
many that any fluid preparation which would stay the process of 
flesh decay for the usual two or three day retainment of the de¬ 
ceased was quite as much as was required of any embalming 
fluid, but time and a closer observation of the results of so much 
of that work has shown the more experienced so many things 
which were not known before, and now what was once supposed 
to be quite sitisfa tory results of this cavit> work, is now seen to 
be so far from being what it ought to be and, perhaps, the first 
great step toward advancing our profession in their own work was 
when they (the profession) were told how to disperse the gasses 
from all the various body cavities, and then how to follow this 
up by a thorough system of arterial embalmment. 

For the time any one embalming fluid was supposed to be all 
that could be used. Since it is true that to rout all the gasses, and 
then injecting the cavities and principal arteries, was a grand step 
toward the method for doing good embalming work in many 
cases, but it was a mistaken idea on the part of so many who, in 
various ways, were deluded into believing that by the use of some 
particular fluid of which this party had once or twice used, and as 
from what little they knew or could see, they supposed that they 
were embalmers of the highest class, since they had kept a de¬ 
ceased body, which apparently was perfectly embalmed. When 


121 


Unprofessional. 

they lost a case they changed the fluid, supposing that it was not 
good, while many of the profession explained to the friends here 
that it was one of those specially bad cases which nothing would 
keep. 

Recent papers are now setting forth the necessity for two 
special classes of embalming fluids. Quite an idea. Should 
any fluid be used and fail, this can be charged with using the 
wrong fluid, but the truth is coming closer each year to what Re- 
nouard and the writer each said concerning embalming progress 
many years ago, and this was in substance that each year would 
bring forth a new understanding of the requirements of every 
case to be treated until finally specific remedies would be made use 
of much in accordance to the self observations and practices of 
those engaged in the professional work, and when there was 
shown to be any internal derangement of either a local or general 
character that disease or injury may have caused, which in this 
way may cause such obstruction that the usual process of embalm¬ 
ing then cannot be carried out—as abcesses or eruptions might 
cause—then neither the arterial nor the cavity process would not 
always supply even a partial embalming by the saturation, by 
which the proceess of anastomosis ought to supply, were the em¬ 
balming fluids made especially for that purpose. The flesh tissue 
can not absorb any chemical sufficiently when the fluids cor¬ 
rode or saponify their surfaces as soon they come in contact with 
them, and while some bodies do require that class of chemical 
compounds, yet in this case something else must be used that will 
slowly but surely saturate every flesh substance which it comes in 
contact with, and when one will not do for that case other formu¬ 
las must be resorted to in order to put all the body substances 
under the specific controlling influences of that special drug or com¬ 
pound which each variety of disease or injury may require. If all 
diseases and all putriscions were each one and the same, then one 
pill and one balm wo 4d possibly meet all the requirements of each 
bodily disease and each bodily dissolution. 

But it is true, that neither the diseases nor the results of their 
morbid attacks upon the body physique are to be found alike. 
Sometimes even the same disease upon different occasions are not 
to be found exactly alike, though apparently under the same con¬ 
ditions ; yet the physical structure is rendered vastly different in 
both the morbid obstructions of some local or general derange¬ 
ment of the internal body, as well as by the necrodies conditions, 
which all or certain portions of the body substances may be re¬ 
duced into, by reason of the variances of the morbid attacks. 
All this, under certain conditions, which give the causes when 
brought into contact with a drug remedy for the one, may give 
the cause for destroying the other; and this, by reason of the 
compatible tendencies of the body substance with its chemical 
opponent as found in some drug which, though under other con¬ 
ditions, would become a true embalming remedy. Or, to be 
explicit, the body substance may be rendered alkaline under cer- 


122 


Unprofessional. 

tain conditions. While a strict acid character may be given to 
all the body substances as the result of other pathological or mor¬ 
bid causes—and if the embalmers would be able to know all the 
true facts as to what the body substances are, and what are the 
chemical basis of these various body substances, then it would 
not be much of a task for them to supply either a neutralizing 
agent or some temporary specific which would directly or indi¬ 
rectly supply a means for influencing a more or less useful remedy, 
if not a substantial embalment of the bodies which they may un¬ 
dertake to treat in a more successful and professional way. If 
we would do so it must be done by a methodical and scientific 
treatment of the body substances, and this in strict accordance 
with the various chemical laws that show us what the primary 
acid or alkaline bases are, which the varied morbid attacks of 
disease may have produced with the fiesh or body fluids of any 
and all classes of deceased bodies. As the normal functions of 
life are made to deviate by the influences of disease, so will the 
process of putrifaction deviate with various chemical bases and 
various stages of the body substances which make the propagat¬ 
ing medium for various animaculations. 


Practical anb Cfyermal €mbalm= 

ology. 


As it is true that the embalmer must deal with the 
various processes of both animal and vegetable purifica¬ 
tion, then it should become our duty to enter directly 
into all that pertains to each of the individual sub¬ 
stances of the deceased body which may become involved 
by the primary stages that foster decomposition, and so 
by this become more fully equipped with such knowledge 
as will enable us to deal with each specific class singly or 
collectively according to the possible and probable 
course which either one of them may take. 

If there is but one process of purification, then one 
class of embalment ought to provide a remedy for this, 
but if it is truly shown that there many processes of pu¬ 
rification, and that there are many varieties of matter 
which under many ways may become involved by the first 
stages of purification, then it will follow that if we 
would be logical and methodical each class of body sub¬ 
stance and each kind of fungus ought to be separated 
into that class or group to which they belong, so that a 
specific law may be defined into special measure by 
which to deal with all the varied destroying tendences 
that may or may not surround them. 

We are told that with certain class of diseases like 
fever may be caused by zymotic influences, and again 
that fevers are diseases which exhaust the fluids of the 
body. While with other diseases, instead of the fluids 
being exhausted some single organ of the body 
alone may be destroyed by the wasting effects of that 
specific influence which the specific disease may direct 
upon the single organ of the body and so by this manner 
sooner or later take away life. Then does it remain that 
the embalming process or the embalming reagents will, 
or even can be the same in each of these two distinct¬ 
ly and varied conditions which each body physique will 
show as the result of a specific cause? 

In order to meet the requirements of each of these 
diseases the doctors and the scientist have each one 
made a specific study in hopes to find or reason out some 



124 


Practical Embalmology. 

specific medical agent to either cure or stay its ravaging 
process of vital destruction. So the doctors carefully 
and thoughtfull observe and note the first predisposing 
symptoms of the disease, its course, progress and final 
culmination; then the scientists also become interested 
and study theory by methods in order to specifically prove 
the actual causes, its origin and its progress. Armed 
with the history of its origin and his thorough acquaint¬ 
ance with all primary law of chemistry and the scientific 
facilities of the microscope, he sets out upon the experi¬ 
mental field in order to find and establish a true remedy. 
But this is only by such laws of cause and effect as are 
worth the consideration of his profession as man of the 
true sciences. 

Now that it is true that the modern embalmer is 
making anxious enquiry into ways and means for cul¬ 
tivating his mind into the broader and deeper 
fields of embalming, and that vast field of undiscovered 
science, and this is not an idle curiosity on their part but 
it is that as professional men they begin to see their 
professional weakness, and they are tiring of these so- 
called wonderful discoveries called wonderful secrets, 
and as intelligent men they desire to know the truth by 
such proofs as will demonstrate and develop an intelli¬ 
gent knowledge and understanding of all that pertains 
to the advantages and disadvantages of this, a profes¬ 
sional work. In doing this the writer fully believes 
that the microscope with various strong, hand lens will 
be required and used for inspecting the remains of the 
dead in order to determine the actual condition of the 
body substances which to know the truth may be classed 
into groups of varieties, as they relate to the physical and 
morbo-pathological, and are shown to belong to the va¬ 
rious families of micro-putrescions. 

And as the late Dr. Chariot tells us in his memoirs of the 
great French Scientist Pasteur, just published in the January, ’95, 
number of the Cosmopolitan, there are yet many unknown laws 
which control so much obscure phenomena, and we may find that 
this is no less true with the questions of spontaneous generation, 
or germinaties, in the question of diseases than it is with the one 
great question that today is baffling the higher advancement of 
the Embalming Necrocedialist. 

But if we try to appreciate the true worth of what Mr. Pasteur 
has done by his faithfull methods of experiment, which for so 
many years he has scrupulously developed and analyzed that law 
of the phenomena, which has heretofore obscured the first stages 
of the putrefaction of animal and vegetable substances, and with 
this Pasteur’s great labors break forth with his inflexible logic, 
and shows us that the first link of the chain was the discovery of 
animated germs; and to go farther he shows that these germs "are 


125 


Putremology. 

not spontaneously produced, but that this fungus, or Baccilli peo¬ 
ple the atmosphere in all that surround us. And we are also 
shown that by ebulition or dry-heating medium (such as flesh 
and body juices) this dry heat will temporarily rid that substance 
of these micro-germs, even while in contact with the air. While 
if this substance be sterilized (dry-heated) and then sealed away 
from all further contact with the air there will not be any showing 
sign of putrefaction. This is given us as conclusive evidence 
that organic putrefaction does not result from a purely chemical 
action, but is determined and governed by the intervention of 
living germs by the development and life of inferior micro-organ¬ 
isms, and today this Pastorian theory is no longer a theory, but 
is now an established science; and as such, we must confess, 
brings the writer down from an opinion given in the Casket quite 
twenty years ago, under the head of “Rapid Decay, or the Spon¬ 
taneous Dissolution of the Humane Body.” In that article 
it was given as our belief that all these micro-germs was produced 
first by the Gastric acidity with the organs of digestion, as it 
made a gaseous, or chemical inroad through the fluid and fleshy 
substances of the body, for the spontaneous invasion of what 
the Bible calls our skin worms. And while in a great measure 
this may be true, however, as oxygen is the acknowledged scav¬ 
enger or the earth, while nature in various ways may produce spe¬ 
cific amalculations under what Pasteur's observations and experi¬ 
ments show are the only condition (moist air at a nominal tem¬ 
perature) by which to produce either one of the many varieties 
and classes of Baccilli, which the embalmers must now find ways 
and means to destroy, or retard. 


of the putremolcxjy of Baccilli. 

As the albumonoid substances decompose rapidly we 
may distinguish them by the fact that when dead ani¬ 
mal substances are exposed to the air in a moderate 
warm atmosphere purification softens the albumen sub¬ 
stance and the products are a certain fetid gas, carbonic 
acid, nitrogen and ammonia which denotes purification. 
The rapidity of purification in animal substances varies 
with the consistency of the body fluids. The softer sub¬ 
stances undergo the change most readily. In the first 
place purification requires the access of atmospheric 
air or when that is excluded, any fluid which contains 
oxygen will carry on the putrifying process more or le^s 
according to the state of the substances which may be 
combined to undergo decomposition. Emaciation re¬ 
tards purification while moisture and warmth will facil¬ 
itate the more rapid process of dissolution. 

The process of purification is accompanied by the 
growth and multiplication of a microscopic vegetable 



126 Putremology. 

orgaism which, both Carpenter and Prof. Dalton say, are 
analogous to that causing alcoholic fermentation. in 
sacchrine liquids. The first stage is called fungi, which 
is due to minute vegetable cells of very simple organiza¬ 
tion which rapidly multiply in the decomposing liquids 
first and following by the cadaveric softening of the 
flesh tissue by the cell which belong to that fungis genus 
bacterium, so-called from the rod-like form and the spe¬ 
cies found in putrifying body fluid. Infusion is known by 
the the name of bacterium-termo. The cells are of an 
oblong form. These multiply by spontaneous difuse 
which soon break up the form into a mass of which rap¬ 
idly waste away as fetid gas and watery ammonical va¬ 
por. One of the most remarkable characters of bacte¬ 
rium cells is their movements, for the microscopist tell 
us that during a certain period of their development 
they exhibit an incessant motion, constantly in a conical 
rotation about their longitudinal axis, by which they are 
transported in various directions. The motion is often 
so rapid that it can hardly be followed by the eye; in 
other instances it is so slow that its mechanism may be 
distinguished and this movement and the multiplication 
of miriads of cells continue while the purification con¬ 
tinues. When all the albumoid ingredients of the infu¬ 
sion have been decomposed, the liquid again becomes 
clear and the bacterium all subside to the bottom in a 
quiescent la} 7 er; but should there be something like a 
jar occur, like that of removing or transporting the body, 
then possibly the gases might displace other albumenoid 
substances of the body and by this way re-excite a re¬ 
newal of the elements of putressence as these micro¬ 
germs will again cause the same condition of decompo¬ 
sition to take place as though there had been no inter¬ 
ruption. And now what has been shown by the manner 
of a locality or a cavity fluid space regarding the bac¬ 
terial destruction of a given quantity of these albumen¬ 
oid substances, may also be, in a manner, caused by the 
chemical action of the embalming fluids as it may tem¬ 
porarily destroy the albumeniod substances so that this 
micro cell can not make use of it, but instead of destroy 
ing these organisms of putridity they only stay the pu- 
trifaction process for an indefinite time ; and to explain 
the reason of this, is, that wnen the embalming fluid is 
placed within the body by the present methods, there is 
a strong probability that but few of the body cavities 
are saturated with the chemicals, in other words we fill 
the big spaces and trust to luck for the smaller ones. 
Anything that is called an improved embalmer is bought 
and used regardless of its origin or adaption. One says 
that it is an amaciator, or that it is alcoholic, or fra- 


Reviewing Embalming Operations. 127 

grant, a permeater. We buy and use them all, for some 
one many years ago said that an embalming fluid must 
possess these chemical properties; but why not use pills 
or some kind of formation which possesses two thousands 
ingredients under a sworn statement of the inventor of 
such a wonderful idea as to what pertains to the true 
embalming science. 

I do not mean to cast a reflection to but one thing 
and this is in the fact that all classes of drug compounds 
will not pass into the small capillary cells of either the 
blood vessels or that of the lymphatic system. While it 
is true that certain compounds are made that will not 
only do so but they will also destroy and break up the 
possible existence of all classes of micro sporing cells 
and consequently there can not be any process of ani- 
malculating putrifaction by which to carry on the work 
of decomposition, however, I do not desire to be under¬ 
stood that embalment is to be made absolutely perpetual 
for this would belie the truth of nature’s laws, yet, the 
word absolute may be actually accomplished by the same 
measure as in that of all other human achievements. 
When once the embalming profession eventually set to 
work by methodical ways for reasoning out that which 
is known as true ways and means by which to carry on 
all this professional work of embalming as by the chem¬ 
ical law of cause and effect. 

Reviewing Embalming Operations. 

In considering the questions of Embalming Operations, and 
methods for treating the many classes of diseased bodies. With 
the many varieties of diseases and death causes, and all these 
with their multitude of physical and morbid hindrances, it 
may be said that the modern embalming art is no longer to be 
classed as being anything less than a progressive science which 
is full of hidden mystery, and is so locked up, by so much of that 
phenomena which nature’s laws maintain, that to-day nothing 
less than the studious culture of all that relates to these science 
methods can enable anyone to perform such embalming opera¬ 
tion with any degree of success, except by the personal qualifica¬ 
tions which they must obtain through some properly acknowl¬ 
edged channel for teaching all that is known, as being the first 
fundamental law principles of the embalming art sciences. But 
before we enter upon this subject I will say that soon after 
this there was a stranger came to Chicago with a device 
similar to a Babcock fire extinguisher and proposed to embalm 
all kinds and classes of bod es by saturating the whole in¬ 
side of the body cavities and arteries, veins and lymphatic vessels 
with a so-called secret compound gas, which was used under 
pressure at a hundred pounds or more. He proposed to com¬ 
pletely saturate every cell and tissue by this chemical process, 


128 


Embalming Operations. 

which was said to embalm and preserve all by a kind or peculiar 
effervicorating influence of the chemicals. But this great and 
wonderful process, after being introduced on test cases, only 
proved to be a greater influence for destroying the bodies of the 
dead than when they are buried in quick lime, and there was no 
manner of embalment shown in the bodies which were experi¬ 
mented with, though it would seem that some gas or some vapor 
might yet be discovered that would evaporate the flesh juices, or 
neutralize their fermentive tendencies, but how is the question? 

During the last fifteen years my study has been to make a 
chemical assimilating compound which would enter into a further 
chemical action when placed in contact with flesh cells, and by 
this create a volatile and drying influence upon the albumin, sugar 
and oily substances of these flesh juices. With this there is no 
trouble in cases where these juices are not too far isolated by deep 
glands and flesh cells. But where these fluids are deep and the 
arteries and veins are obstructed in any way, 1 find that it will 
take some hours to complete the work to a point of safety, espe¬ 
cially if the subject be one which has the soft fine flesh tissue. 
The formula {See Emb. Fluids ) can be relied upon provided the 
operator does complete and careful work. However, every cavity 
and organ of the body must be treated with great care. 

What 1 have wanted has been to find some compound which 
would form a drying gas by the action of the chemicals upon the 
flesh juices, and by this means impregnate the flesh cells through 
by diffusing the lymphatic system and similar fat and gland 
substances of the entire body, and so instead of destroying the 
body form of the flesh, as the fire extinguishing process 1 spoke 
of done, it would embalm the body by some manner of a harm¬ 
less chemical assimilation, and at the same time accomplish this 
result in a short time by a simple and practical way. 


(Embalment of Consumptive Bodies. 

This disease is so well known that we feel that it is 
not necessary to advise the undertaker or embalmer of 
to-day as to how they must treat them, for it is true that 
if any one class of disease is better or easier kept than 
another, it is the one emaciated condition of the body 
by Consumption ; and if the embalming novice desires 
any easy subject, a we recommend this disease likely be¬ 
cause of the emaciated condition of the dead” to begin 
the first work of embalming and keeping bodies without 
ice. This one disease has been the stronghold for begin¬ 
ners for making the first step of a professional reputa¬ 
tion, and while we respect these as the first bodies which 
the beginner could keep, yet there are those who place 
too much laudation upon the results of their work upon 
such bodies. Especially is this true with all emaciated 



129 


EmbaIming Operations. 

cases. None but Hasty or Galloping 1 Consumption is 
excepted, for with this disease, which lasts but a few 
weeks, we may have no emaciation of the body, and so 
all the fluids and fats even to a fact of corpulency, or 
the most robust classes of children or adults may be 
taken by the last named disease, when the embalmer 
must operate by the most careful methods. But as for 
the old stages of emaciated bodies I will take the liberty 
to say that I will agree to embalm any one of these 
above the age of 20 years and upwards, and do this with 
Salt Water and the use of my instruments, or with 
lye water, and no other chemicals whatever, and when 
through this treatment the flesh will soon dry and the 
body will keep as long as six weeks. After that they 
will take on a dry mold; or cadeavic softening; or a shown 
process of decay. But when we talk about the ferment- 
ive process, or the gaseous process, and the forms of 
various processes of putridity. There are but few con¬ 
sumptive cases that will have fluids of the body remain¬ 
ing in any quantity, and dry flesh will be slow in forming 
any process of decay after they are properly washed and 
laid out upon a cooling board. I will say further that 
these all dry emaciated bodies may be easily mumified 
by placing them out where the sun can shine upon them, 
or it would do better if the bodies be placed into an out- 
shed and dryed by the free circulation of dry wind or 
cool dry air. The truth is that if it was possible 
to take all bodies of the dead and thoroughly wash 
out all the fluids of the body and then thoroughly dry 
the cavity surfaces. We would then be enabled to ren¬ 
der better work than can be done upon the bodies of any 
that are not emaciated, but as this is not possible nor 
is it ever likely to be so that modern undertakers will 
take the bodies to working rooms, as the Egyptians done. 
So we must learn of other methods and processes which 
will enable us to accomplish the best results of embalm¬ 
ment under those natural hindrances we find on enter¬ 
ing the death chamber, and it is the purpose of the 
writer to show as far as possible all of those predominat¬ 
ing features which are the result of various classes of 
disease, not only of the lungs, but so many other dis¬ 
eases of the various organs of the human body, and so 
by this means impart to the embalmer such knowledge 
as will enable them to use their own judgment in all 
cases. When the embalmer can know the primary 
causes of death, then thry may see or be able to foretell 
of the consequent results in each and every case, and 
this will enable them to operate as each case will re¬ 
quire, and thus by means of true methods and greater 
experience each operator may be able to do the work of 


130 


Embalming Operations. 

embalming - in a way more safely and satisfactorily to 
themselves, and thus save time and further annoyance. 


Stomacl? anb V>owz\ (Trouble. 

How to treat and embalm a case after death by diseases of the 
organs of digestion will involve many cases of both children and 
adults. See Diseases and their Complications on Page 112. 

Operation. 

In order to prepare the remains of such bodies for 
burial services, the embalmer will find the greatest diffi¬ 
culty in destroying the source of these ammonical gases 
which will seem to come from every part of the body. 
My plan has always been to insert several tubes into the 
stomach, trans colon the lungs and bladder and then also 
take up several arteries and after injecting the arteries 
work the various open tubes so as to rout ail gases. I 
then inject the lungs and use care to get just enough 
fluid to counteract the fermenting there. Then, inject 
the cavities of the abdomen. Fig. 30 , 31 , 33. This ought 
to stop the gas formatious, if not, there is still some cav¬ 
ity which the fluid does not reach. Inject the arteries 
again. If this fails, it is because the fluid is not good 
and this is now a chance to prove what fluid is worth, 
whether good or not, and the test if good is the thick¬ 
ening of the walls of flesh of the lungs and all fatty sub¬ 
stances will soon relax and then the blotches of the face 
will begin to disappear so that after a few minutes the 
face will be all right and clear from both the gases or 
dark blotches. 

In all adult cases of soft texture of the flesh like that 
of a plump round form of body in children, like many 
persons are classes which only a true chemical reagent 
will embalm. Salt and arsenic or lj T e potash nor sul¬ 
phuric acid embalming fluids will not correct and keep 
these bodies for more than a day or so at best, but we 
must use a strict chemical assimilating preparation, if 
any permanent embaling is required, and so it will be 
that similar difficulty will be had when trying to correct 
several diseases l’ke colic which so often terminates fa¬ 
tally to both children and adults. Bilious colic, gouty 
spasmodic colic, lead or painter’s colic, cholera morbus 
or cholera infantum with all these and similar diseases 
there are to be found more or less trouble in embalming 
the bodies for they are all more or less sudden and so we 
may expect more or less fluids and the consequent results 
of an anamonical gas which thickens the flesh of every 
part of the body, and so these must be classed and 



131 


EmbaIm ing Operations, 

treated as the worst forms of cadavic. See fig. 30 , 51, 33, 

Few maladies present themselves as being- more diffi¬ 
cult for the embalmer than death by obstruction of the 
bowels, which, during- life, is very similar to that of colic. 

How to Treat and Embalm the Drowned, 

DROWNED.—Remains that have been in the water 
until they float may fill the flesh with water gases and 
look similar to that of a case of Dropsy. As the process 
of gas fermentation which takes place in warm water or 
exposure in part to the air and water, will become com¬ 
pletely water-soaked, and when this is the case the flesh 
becomes very tender and it will be found that the arter¬ 
ies are easily ruptured and cannot stand much pressure 
of the fluid injection. My plan has always been to place 
some burlaps under the body and strip off most of the 
clothing while the body is still floating in the water. By 
this means I avoid, all the stench by immersing the body 
while I use the knife and open up the abdomen and 
thorax and such other members and organs of the body 
as may be engorged by either gas or water. A liberal 
gash from the back of the neck, arms and legs will do 
much towards recovering the bod} T to a presentable 
stage, and after a rensing the body may be lifted out of 
the water, and when washed and wiped dry may be fur¬ 
ther treated with arsenic, salt or plaster of Paris to dry 
up the escaping fluid, and after a liberal wash with the 
embalming fluid it may be dressed and conveyed or 
coffined and buried in the most satisfactory way. 

I once prepared a body, which was found floating, in 
this way and the remains were taken home and kept over 
night, with ample time for a funeral announcement, and 
the deceased was viewed by all with no small degree of 
satisfaction to myself as well as to the bereaved family. 

Very nauseous and putrid remains should be placed in 
a bath-tub of water, which should be kept over the body 
and running off, and by this means the water will absorb 
all the stench, as the ammonical and sulphurated and 
phosphurated gases are washed out through such deep and 
well divided incisions as may be found necessary. Cold 
water will in this way improve the body if care be taken 
to dry the flesh by wiping and then using some drying 
salts or solution. 


©pcratioc anb Chennai Systems of 

(Embalming. 


COMMON OR CAVITY PROCESS -This operation is 
usually confined to the simple work of making one trocar, or 
needle puncture through the walls of the abdomen somewhere 
near the location of the trans-colomn. See Figs. 28 and 30. 
And as the needle passes through it is directed upward into the 
Thoratic cavity into the lungs, and if long enough might reach 
the heart in some few instances, when the embalming fluid is in¬ 
jected with no certainty as to where this fluid may be placed. 

Next the long needle is directed downward with the same un¬ 
certainty as to what cavity or locality may be punctured, and if 
the body does not keep they do not see why, since they kept one 
or two bodies by a like operation and the same fluid. 

Several well directed needle punctures into each of the various 
cavities would give better results by the fact that the gasses may 
then escape, and also for the reason that the embalming fluid 
would be distributed so as to partially correct, or neutralize] the 
first stages of putrescion, and especially so if the embalming 
fluid was good. But if we would properly treat any case as 
thoroughly as most cases require, the cavity process should be 
made in both the Abdominal and Thoratic cavities, but each operator 
should also include each organ of the viscera, heart, lungs, and 
such as the brain, the liver, splein, and stomach, bowels and 
ulcers, foetal, and all morbid or false growths. 

ARTERIAL PROCESS— This process should be consid¬ 
ered from the surgical standpoint, and must provide ways for 
testing the actual condition of the arteries and veins, and should 
the vessels of circulation be complete and free from clots or rup¬ 
tures they will convey the embalming fluid to all the flesh sub¬ 
stances, provided that there is no other local derangement within 
these vessels, or the branches that communicate with them. 

The danger of relying wholly upon the arteries and veins 
will come from clots, abscesses, anurisms, loc-1 infiltrations of 
the heart, lungs, kidneys, brain, and organs of digestion, false 
growths or uterus and loetal derangement. And if we would 
render the embalming operat ons more secure, all the internal 
chest and abdominal cavity spaces should be treated by such 
needle operations as may be found expedient. See Operative Em¬ 
balming Surgery , page 50. 



Operative and Thermal Embalming. 133 

Areolar Space, or the Superficial and Deep Muscular 

Dessication. 

Operation Upon the Areolar Spaces.—By including 
the plan given above for performing arterial embalment this 
lesson mav be confined to the special treatment of the areolar 
space, and if we consider this question we may treat both the 
superficial and deep facia?, and all the intermediate space between 
all the muscles as well. 

This plan was published in the Casket, of December, 1883, 
and includes a plan for drying the flesh tissue by the liberal use 
of the exploring rod as it is directed into the various principal 
spaces between the muscles from such local or general operations 
as the case might require. 

Instead of using the exploring rod the needle can be deeply 
seated when both air or fluid may be pumped and rubbed outward 
by the hands into the more distant spaces between most of the 
muscular substances, and so come directly into contact with a 
great portion of the fatty deposits of the Lymphatic glands and 
adipose tissue, as well as to surround much of all other flesh or 
fluid substances, which could not otherwise be so quickly reached 
by the embalming fluid that is put into the arteries, veins, or cav¬ 
ities; and when the process of flesh saturation may conduct the 
embalming fluid to all these distant fleshy substances by the 
phenomenal process of Anastomosis. 

THE ANASTOMATIC METHOD.— I may freely say 
that this anastomatic process will not be produced in anything 
like a mark of successful and complete saturation of all such 
foreign flesh substances, unless the fluid be made of that chemical 
quality which will yield its own chemical properties in perfect 
harmony with that phenomenon that produces the first result, as 
by the strange laws of Anastomosis. And to go farther' it must 
be said that what is so well known of this process of nature has 
all been studied upon the fundamental principles of life, and this 
phenomenon has not been fully established faither than by the 
laws of contact, or rather that all flesh grows watery, and may 
also take up drug remedies by being placed in contact with 
them. But to say how quick or slow all foreign flesh sub¬ 
stances of the body structure may be put under the direct in¬ 
fluences of any chemical compound that may be put into the 
veins or arteries, or in any other cavity of the body is yet quite a 
matter of theoretical speculation. Though 1 am fra*nk to say that 
of all methods or plans for doing the highest standard of em¬ 
balment, we may say with both Hohenschuh and Renouard, that 
the Anastomatic Theory stands pre-eminently above all other 
plans for necropathology and for the coming" necro-medication, 
and no doubt but that it will remain as the one fundamental 
principle by which to advance to the higher knowledge of chemis¬ 
try of such remedies as may yet be brought out by some strict 
and considerate embalmologist. 


134 Operative and Thermal Embalming. 

The Needle Operations. 

During the last year or so there has been some speculation 
reguarding what is styled as the needle process, but Profs. 
Rhodes, Crane, Renouard, Sullivan and the author made use of 
these various plans for using the long needle, not only upon the 
ordinary cavities, but directly into the heart and into the Bassillar 
veins through the inside corner of both eyes, and by this means 
place the embalming fluids directly into both the hemispheres of 
the brain. 

As for myself 1 have found that the same result can be 
attained by putting the trocar through the cartilages of the cen¬ 
tral division of the nose. And while some experience is required, 
in order to know just how to direct and force the needle into the 
brain by tnis nose operation, yet there ought to be no trouble, 
when the instrument is properly directed through the nasal division 
cartilage and when the operation has been performed 
there will not be that wound injury to show, as it always is when 
the eye process is used for treating the brain. 

Another good cranial operation may be made behind the head 
at the base of the skull. When by throwing the head slightly 
foreward the trocar may be directed so as to reach the brain of 
both hemispheres. There should be some time given so as to 
inject the fluid slowly. Dry rags or cotton may be used to 
close the wound in both this and the nose operation. 

The single embalming puncture of the body may be well 
enough for many indefinate cases which by either great emacia¬ 
tions or other general physical condition that may occur to favor 
such crude methods of embalming such bodies, but to style this 
or any other single punctorial operation, as being an established 
science by either the process or the remedial agents which are to 
be employed, is far from being either a special or specific mode 
of the modern embalming art, worthy of any particular attention 
from those who are, or may become experienced in what relates 
to Necrobiatic metamorphosis, as well as by those practical and 
implicit laws, which is always behind them, to give us a reliance 
for success, more or less peculiar to each of the many known 
physicial and other stages of putrescion and its corresponding 
ultimatum. 


Foetal Embalment. 

A proposition of this kind has been talked about for some 
months past, and to outline the true living foetal conditions which 
provide a true anastomatic system as the blood circulating 
medium from the mother to the foetus, it may be said that death 
will in all probability either distroy or so greatlv interrupt this 
fluid communication as to make a vast improbability for the 
arterial or veinous embalment of any unborn child. And while 
the anastomascing process does convey some of the more care¬ 
fully compounded embalming fluids to some considerable extent, 
yet this operation could not be very highly recommended as 


135 


Operative and Thermal Embalming . 

being in any way trustworthy, though there is no 'doubt but 
that some cases may be embalmed under favorable conditions. 

Though to look into all the small intricate, arterial and veinous 
branches, which supply the uterus body, the ovary and adjacent 
tissues, it will be shown that there can be scarcely any direct 
arterial or veinous communication from the mother to the child; 
though it is true that the arteries of the Ovaries and Fallopian 
tubes are the ovarian from the aorta, and this and the veins 
amastomose and terminate within the uterus. 

Then also there is no farther communication with the Placenta 
than by that ©f amastomosis, and is produced only by adherent 
contact with the uterus of the mother. 

According to Dunglison the Placenta is a soft, spongy, 
vascular body, adherent to the uterus and connected with the 
Foetus by the umbilical cord. The Placenta is composed of the 
umbilical vessels and areolar tissue. 

The main function of the placenta appears to be like that of 
the lungs of the adult. It admits of the blood of the Foetus 
being thrown to that of the mother, where it undergoes requisite 
changes, and it is also an organ for nutritive absorption. And 
according to Prof. Goodsir the veins of the placenta amastomose 
freely with one another, and give rise at its edges to veinous 
channel,which runs around the whole circumference, and the um¬ 
bilicus cord arises from the center of the placenta, though it may 
occasionally start from its edges. This organ is liable to inflam¬ 
mation, and also to fatty and calcareous degeneration. 

During Fcetal life it is said that the whole of the blood of the 
unbilical vein traverses the liver before it enters into the Foetal 
inferior vena-cova. 

In speaking of Foetal embalment by direct arterior or venous 
injections upon these vessels of the mother, it can only be ac¬ 
complished as shown above, by the slow process of anastomatic 
saturation of the Foetus through the supposable placental ad¬ 
hesion after death to the walls of the uterus. Possible, but not 
probable, circulation of the overian artery to the abdominal aorta 
of the mother, and as the child draws life from the mother, as a 
Parasite, by adhesion, death is likely to destroy the contact of the 
Placenta and the Uterus. 

The trocar or needle operation, when carefully performed, is 
by far the safest mode for embalming both mother and unborn 
child, owing to false adhesion or congested tissue and blood clots 
that are likely to follow after death. (See Womans’ Ailments.) 

Reviewing a Case of Sudden Death. 

One of the most frequent modes of death of very large persons 
is that of a sudden attack of apoplexy. (See Page 110.) The 
face is usually black, the body full of flesh juices, the body round 
and full, purging at the mouth and nostrils soon follows and to 
inject any fluid into the body seems almost impossible. As the 
face grows blacker the neck and lips grow thicker. The needle 


136 


Sudden Deaths. 


or trocar fails to draw out any of the body fluids or gasses from 
the thorax or within the abdominal cavities and so the case is lost 
as it goes to pieces with its nauseous fetors. 

A child, a school bov or girl, and in fact, so many persons 
die and are so rapidly destroyed that their family is not permitted 
to have time to plan and arrange the funeral as they desire. All 
this is because there is no known remedy at hand by which their 
remains may be successfully treated; or at least this is what the 
public supposes, since the well known undertaker has kept the 
remains of other deceased persons; but they have failed to keep 
most of the stout or fleshy ones. It may be stated that the rea¬ 
son for this is because both the public and the undertaker do not 
know the truth of this matter. 

What to do in any and all cases of the kind may be best an 
twered by showing the cause of this purging, why no gases were 
so be found and why the injected fluid made the face get blacker 
and the lips and neck become greatly swollen and distented. See 
pages 32, 73, 85. But, to be brief, the vicera has thickened, in 
the short time since death, though there are some cases when the 
great internal deposits of fatty substances are so great that there 
is great difficulty for such individuals in breathing, and some of 
this class of persons may die by suffocation. In many of this class 
of Necrodes it will be found that the arteries and veins are also 
thickened by fatty degeneration and what blood fluids there was 
to circulate within the body before death, was dependent mostly . 
upon the flexibility of the surrounding fleshy substances of the 
body. As soon as death was made complete, the body sal s and 
acids set up an immediate process of chemical assimilation, and 
this mild process of decomposition soon produced gasses enough 
to thicken the albumen, geletin and glucose substances sufficiently 
and so this thickening takes up all the room of both the chest and 
abdomen, and the result was purging and body expansion to its 
utmost limit. The gases cannot escape by any small puncture, as 
they are locked up within the flesh cells or small cavities. What 
solution there may be forced into the body cavities causes more 
purging from either the stomach or the lungs, sometimes both, 
while anal and renal purging may also follow. 

Sometimes arterial injections may be made so complete, as to 
cause the embalming solution to be conveyed into all parts of the 
body, and in this way the fermenting and thickening process that 
is going on within the body may be stopped by the correcting 
power of the embalming fluid. Then apply the trocar to theiab- 
dominal cavities and see that all the reflected portions and cavties 
of the peritoneum (see page SO) have been opened up quite liberal¬ 
ly, and then treat the thoraxin the same way. 

The embalming fluid ought to stop all the primary stages of 
this cell thickening of the glands and viscera. We may note the 
good effects of the embalming compound by seeing the body settle 
down with a good nominal face and other general appearances 
that are more or less satisfactory, and showing as the result that 


Reliable Embalming Fluids 137 

may follow the vigilant application of practical embalming ope ra 
tions first, and by the well-studied adaptations of chemical agemt 
as true and reliable remedies that may be brought into pract ca 
and successful use for embalming the'bodies of the corpulent nd 
abnormal physique. See the following chapters. 

i here is no credit for any science due to those persons who 
may have taken and embalmed a tew of the most favorable bodies 
of either adults or children, for it is true that many of the emaci¬ 
ated class of bodies will keep well when hung up and kept dry 
and away from moisture and the flies, as these well known and 
favorable surroundings are all that is necessary after beginning 
with a body which possesses all the flesh-dried requirements as 
the two essentials for keeping those bodies, and it is not to becon- 
sidered as the achievement of any science, but simply as the re¬ 
sulting work from care and proper attention, and nothing more. 


Meltable (Embalming ^luibs. 


In considering the important question of reliable and available 
embalming preparations which can be recognized as being true 
and specific embalming remedies that are worthy of any especial 
mention in this chapter, is taken without either the knowledge or 
consent of their present owners. While it is true that all these 
embalming fluids which a r e named in this ariicle are proprietary 
remedies that are said to be compounded from secret formulas, 
yet it may be truly stated that each one of these embalming fluids 
are known to be formulated by only the strict and most methodical 
rules known to the pharmaceutical art science. . 

Since these preparations have become so well known and 
qualified in their various specific uses that they now become more 
or less of that nature that practically makes them into what 
might be considered here, as public property, and as such they 
must take the passing notice which may be given to them as they 
may relate to being available remedies for the present and possible 
future uses of the modern embalmer and specialist. 

As it is true that but few of our profession are yet able to 
make any special study of either chemistry or embalming phar¬ 
macy. it will be necessary that something may be said that will 
give'them a knowledge of at least a few practical chemicals; and 
while that is done elsewhere, there are so many times when the 
embalmers cannot supply themselves with such drugs or chemi- 
ca s as they may require' for the various formulas which are given. 
While we have'great faith in the future question of nc n-secret 
embalming remedies, yet there cannot be any practical use made 
of them, other than as specific remedies for some specific purposes, 
as they may yet be observed and noted, when once this profes¬ 
sion is' brought up to the true working knowledge of the higher 
sciences of specific embalming remedies. 




138 


Reliable Embalming Fluids. 

In judging the various fluids around us, we are compelled to 
confine our remarks to that cl ss of embalming fluids which our 
associated acquaintance has given us, both in traveling and 
knowing what others have been able to do by the use of these 
fluids. The rating which is to be given each one will be from a 
personal test of each one, rather than by what any one has said 
of them, as this was made no small part of my study during 
some fifteen years past, in order to keep myself posted by mak¬ 
ing all manner of analytical tests of every variety of embalm¬ 
ing fluid that was put upon the market. While studying each 
one of them by my own ways and methods for the purpose of 
proving the value or non value of each one, and this was more 
or less peculiar to myself. Yet it was not my purpose to be 
partial, but it was to know what drugs and chemicals the best 
fluids were made from, and how such drugs were put together, in 
order to secure the uniform and valuable results that was known 
to follow their proper uses. 

At several intervals some of these fluids, which are now 
spoken of have been re-formulated, and while some of these have 
been greatlv benefitted, none of them have been injured in the 
least, though I do know and can name a few compounds which 
are sold as established embalming fluids, which they say has 
never had a single failure. Yet these preparations were made in 
different ways and by different drug compounds, no less than 
three or four limes each year for the last seven or eight years 
past. 

Of course discoveries came fast with some of the would be 
professionals, and no doubt many of our profession may remem¬ 
ber how it is that these preparations always make the worst 
cases keep for weeks and to look perfectly life-like and natural. 
One man was heard to say that the deceased looked ten years 
younger. But the maximum of a true profession is, that the em¬ 
balming art may succeed by the application of its known sciences 
in the sam* ratio as with that wonderful art and skilled science 
of the surgeon. With surgery there are many extreme measures 
which are made use of, to the disadvantage of those engaged in 
that profession, and with embalming it must be the same. 

Surgery has been made popular because of the cautious dis- 
cressions of those who engage in that work, and nothing less 
than the same caution be required as to what is done by the em- 
balmer, and this in the most discreet way, as the public regards 
for those engaged as embalming specialists will take its standing 
largely by what this profession shows, that their professional 
work really merits. 

Worthless embalming fluid can not be detected by either a 
cheap or high price, but they should be taken up and tested by 
capable men, who the State should appoint as a special commis¬ 
sion, in order to stop many fraudulent transactions, but as there 
are some well known fluids which may be relied upon, it is false 
economy to buy and use unknown compounds from any and 


139 


Physical Signs. • 

every professed embalming specialist until some proper account 
is known of them, and those who make and sell unknown em¬ 
balming preparation, but the fluids which has stood the test of 
some years back, and what is more important is to know of the 
undoubted reliability of the firms which make and sell them, are 
such fluids as the following: Crane, Egyptian, Champion, 
Washburne, Hill, M. & L., Oriental, Utopia. 

Hydro-Chloranum was placed upon the market some years 
ago, but this preparation was withdrawn from the market for the 
time owing to the cost of making it. In speaking of the higher 
classes of embalming drugs it may be said that some of these 
drugs and fancy embalming chemicals will cost as much ns any¬ 
one could desire, since it is known that the tgyptian * iten ex¬ 
pended great fortunes upon the embalment of their dead, and it 
may be said that the modern essential remedies, which must be 
employed for anything like a permanent embalment, will cost all 
the way from $75 to $ 8 co for each case. Varied not only by 
the class of work to be done, but more from the variable, physical 
condition of the subject at the time of performing the embalm¬ 
ing operation ; the time required is from four to six days. Prices, 
$800 to $3, coo each. 

PHYSICAL SIGNS.— Have not many of our profes¬ 
sion already observed that the soft flesh texture of a child 
presents one" of the most difficult subjects for the embalmer to 
keep, especially the round and robust child that has not been sick. 
Now, it is true, that the flesh texture of many adults is also soft 
and quite similar to the flesh of a child. But"to show the class of 
bodies which all embalmers prefer and why some of those bodies 
keep so nicely we will try to show as follows. 

It is true that many persons are not only raw-boned, but their 
flesh texture is dry and coarse, their arteries are large and strong, 
and the capillaries are large, and all the oily and flatty sub¬ 
stances are reduced to a minimum, while the functions of the body 
are nominal if not exceptionally good, until some disease so af¬ 
flict them and so destroy life by a stage of slow fever and 
complicated disorders, until their flesh juices are about all re¬ 
moved and all the flesh substances are dried by emaciation. 

When such bodies are properly laid out and cooled, how 
nice they are, and of course they should be embalmed. But do 
not deceive yourself with the idea that this nice subject is all due 
from the result of either the operation or the fluids which were 
used, for it is true that the very next case, similar in every detail 
so far as can be seen, when given the same operation and same 
care, it may go to pieces in a few hours. But, my friend, let me 
tell you what was the difference, and you should be able to dis¬ 
criminate between them. The first has dry, coarse flesh texture 
and good organs to circulate the embalming fluid into every such 
such vessel throughout the whole structure. The last one may 
be just as large and just as heavy, but when we look closer we 
see that the flesh is soft and more fluid like. Everywhere there 


140 


• Physical Signs. 


are visible marks of fatty and oily deposits throughout the whole 
system, and it will be found that’the lymphatic system is made 
up of minute vessels and cells that contain lymph and albumenic 
fluids. While the arteries and veins are small, possibly they are 
so weak that they will rupture easily, so there can be but little, if 
any, embalming fluid placed at such places as required throughout 
the system. If this case is not well handled at the start, all the 
fluids of the body will sour and the result will be shown in- a 
spontaneous process of dissolution, because the disease in the first 
place has not taken all of these body juices, as was done in the 
case above cited; and what is more the embalming fluid has no 
true chemical assimilation. Good strong brine would keep the 
first by injecting the arteries, and so it would keep the last, if we 
would cut the flesh up in small parts. But as this is not possible, 
the embalming fluid must be made upon a fundamental principle, 
and by men skilled in the art of chemistry. By this means alone 
the fluid will penetrate the whole artery system, provided we use 
the proper methods for injecting the chemicals into all parts of 
the body, as it may be done by those only who become skilled in 
the ways and means of modern embalming. 

The subject of the fluid constituents of the human body has 
been spoken of by me some twelve or fifteen years ago and I 
regret to say that it has been quite impossible for me to handle 
this one subject as thoroughly as it should be for it is true that 
this subject would not only involve the chemistry of the human 
body, but would also require several chapters upon Bacteriology, 
and as space will not permit this 1 leave this subject after a word 
further concerning rapid flesh dissolution. 

It is the flesh composition which makes one body different 
from that of another. Firm muscular flesh tissues have flesh 
cells of a.decided structure, and when so these cells do not break 
down into watery and oily substances only by a slow process of 
decay. There may be present a large quantity of blood and lym¬ 
phatic fluids, which, under certain conditions, may or may not 
sour or ferment. The presence of albuminous substances and the 
absence of saccharine matter would retard the process to a spe¬ 
cific class of fermentation; in fact, a specific micro-germ, and so 
if we reverse this by taking out the albuminous substances of 
the blood and leave the -saccharine substance, which is said to be 
very similar to “grape-juice,” the same retarding result may oc¬ 
cur, but when both are present in large quantities, then either one 
of these two substances will sour quickly by adding a little water, 
and so when a portion of lymph or water is placed in contact 
with either of Ihetwo mucous substances, like the soft flesh tex¬ 
ture o. the child or adult, mobility is fostered in every substance 
because of the component semi-fluids, which go to make up that 
structuie, and is so related to give a ratio of putrefaction. 

When all the arteries are free from blood clots, or are not 
ruptured, the embalming fluid can be felt as it passes over the 
forehead and at many other extremities of the arteries where thev 


141 


Physical Signs. 

lie near the surface. A slight cut at the inside of the toes and 
fingers will cause a small stream of embalming fluid to be shown 
while injecting the arterial system. Renouard’s plan is to inject 
fluid into the arteries and veins by introducing the canula into the 
latter vessels and then draw this out, and repeat the operation 
until the vessels are cleaned from all dark substances, then inject 
the vessels full of embalming fluid and secure the openings. 

By using a long exploring rod there would not be much trouble 
in reaching clear in to the upper part of the thorax, and so doing 
fairly good work to rout the gasses, and letting the watery fluids 
into the cavity space, when they might be drawn out. There are 
many cases of children and adults when this operation may be 
performed, and so avoid post mortem incisions. After injecting 
the arteries and veins, they should be tied and the wound should 
be filled with soda or arsenic and after plugging with cloths sew 
the wound closely and securely. 

In case of any excess in fatty adipose, much of this could be 
removed by the hook process. 

An emaciated body leaves dry tissue, dry flesh moulds and 
leads to the slower process of putridity. A purulent lung or any 
other diseased organ may cause gases to bloat the body or to be¬ 
come locally engorged, but when this has a proper vent it is not 
likely to again become engorged. Embalming drugs may also 
disperse the gases by neutralizing the putrifving or fermenting 
process, as it takes place within the body fluid or certain soft 
flesh cell substances. 

A great portion of the blood will usually be found in the trunk 
veins, both above and below the heart." Professer Renouard’s 
system for removing the veinous flood with a canula by 
the Bracheal operates [Fig. 8 , page 60 ], has many good 
points. Ray W. Hussey shows an operation upon the Femoral 
vein [Figs. 22 and 23 ]. Professors Barnes and Sullivan speak 
of similar operations. In the fall of 1876, 1 embalmed an 18-year- 
old girl by introducing the trocar into the heart from the right 
side at the base of the neck. After some minutes 1 began to 
think that 1 would not be able to stop the continued flow of the 
blood. 1 then dispersed the abdominal gases and injected fluid in 
that cavity and then continued to rub the face and neck down¬ 
ward, yet i would no sooner get my hand away than the surface 
would turn black again. I then removed the gases around the 
lungs, when the black fluid left the face at once. I then injected 
the Brachial artery and vein, and after closing the incisions, I had 
no further troubled From that time on 1 made use of both the 
trocar and lung needle for similar operations upon the heart at all 
times when I deemed that operation necessary. 


(abbreviated (Embalmology. 


Albumen is an immediate principle of animal and vegetable 
life. It constitutes the chief part of the white of an egg ; 
it is found in the serum, chyle, synovia, serous fluids. 
There is not much difference in the chemical composition 
between animal and vegetable albumen, fibrine and casin ; 
also the white of an eye. See 'page 32 . 

Albuminoid substances are said to occupy the first place within 
the human body, as they are distributed in every part, and 
“ excepting water ” are found more abundant than any 
other substance, as they are placed in diffusible and non-dif- 
fusible groups as the one constituent elenent of every fluid 
and every solid of the body. When dry these albuminoid 
substances do not putrify, but with slight moisture these 
substances become the most unmanageable product of the 
deceased body. 

Cellulose-Granulose are starch products. The human body 
converts starch into sugar, and the sugar into glucose. 

Glucose produces most of the fats and oils within the body. 
Glucose fermentation is due to the action of a colorless 
microscopic fungus, known as Saccharmyces, a kind of 
yeast cell growth, that decomposes the glucose and pro¬ 
duces carbonic acid and alcohol when under the proper re¬ 
strictions. Though when this amyloid substance (starch, 
sugar, glucose) undergoes decomposition in the manner of 
animal putrification, as within the deceased body, the pro¬ 
cess of that decomposition is shown by the thickening of 
the soft flesh cell structure of the vicera glands, a fatty, ad¬ 
ipose substance, and the product is ammonia and sulphur- 
retted and phosphurretted hydrogen gases. 

Bacteria, Fungi, Infusoria—Microscopic organisms found in 
rain water and exposed organic matter by Leewenhock, 
1675, and according to Dalton, Ehernterg, Leipsig, 1838 
described as many as 7C0 different kinds that are called 
“ animalcules.” 

While this class of micro germs have long been described 
as being produced by spontaneous generation, Pasteur 
and others have described and classed many families and 
species which are reproduced in the manner of the sexes, 
and thus some fifty or more different species of the infusoria 
are now excluded from the field of spontaneous generation. 
The group which comprises the 'general term bacteria is 



143 


Abbreviated Embalmology. 

classed as varieties of Bacterium, Vibro, Spieillum and 
Micrococcus. This group is the species known as bac- 
terium-termo, and belongs to the phenomena of putrefac¬ 
tion . See pages SS- 89 . 

Degeneration. —A change in the intimate composition of the 
solids and fluids of the body. In pathological anatomy, 
degeneration, or degenerescence, means the change which 
occurs in the structure of an organ when transformed into 
fat, as adipose or fatty degeneration of the kidneys, lungs, 
heart, or other transformations that are essentially morbid, 
as albumous, cancerous or tubercular degeneration. Vir¬ 
chow employs the term necrobiosis synonymously with 
degeneration. Sometimes the muscles are converted into 
adipose or fat. 

Dessication, Drying—Dessicatives, remedies which dry up the 
flesh juices and moisture from the flesh solids. 

Emulsion—See “Oleine.” 

Gelatin is an immediate animal principle; it is semi-transparent, 
insipid, inodorous, insoluable in cold water, very soluable 
in hot water, which it thickens into a jelly-like mass, and 
its presence causes clots and stringy liquid masses to be 
gumatuous and unyielding, while after death the veins and 
cavity spaces may adhere together by its presence. 

Glycogenic Matter."—Glycogen, glycerine the sugar of gela¬ 
tin. An albuminous "principle produced by the action of 
caustic alkalies on gelatin, or meats. Glycohaemia, a 
saccharine condition of the blood. See page 114. 

Maggots are produced in animal putrifying substances from the 
egg of a peculiar fly. 

Sepsis, Putrefaction, Septaemia—Putrid animal poison, 
septic gases, purulent infection. 

Septulum—A division between small spaces or cavities. 

Septum—A partition designed to separate two cavities like the 
septa, which are numerous in the human body. 

Sequelae—I follow, as by the morbid phenomena, left as the 
result of disease. 

Serosity, Serous, thin, watery, relating to the most watery 
portions of the animal fluids. 

Serum, of the blood. This is the liquid which separates from the 
blood after death ; it is usually a greenish-yellow color, 
vicid, slightly coaguable by heat, acids and alcohol. It is 
said to be composed of water, chloride of sodium (salt), 
certain phosphates and albumen, constantly united to soda, 
almost in a saponaceous combination. See Albumen. 

Oleine—This, as its name indicates, is the representative ingre¬ 
dient of the oils, or fatty substances. When pure it is 
transparent and colorless, it retains its fluidity at ordinary 
temperatures, and even below the freezing point of water 
it readily dissolves both Sterine and Palmitine. The 
warmer the temperature around it the more solvent power 


144 


Abbreviated Embalmology. 

it will exert, and what the embalmer should know is that 
substan es called Oleine, Palmitine and Stearine, are 
the most abundant fats of the human body, and they greatly 
resemble each other in the general character, though differ 
mainly in the degree of their consistency. The stearine is 
solid at ordinary temperature. Palmitine holds an interme¬ 
diate position, while the Oleine is always the most fluid. 

In considering the physical and chemical changes of the 
body fats, there are certain changes of conditions which 
both morbid or external influences may cause which in va¬ 
rious ways produce certain characteristics that are peculiar 
to substances of their class. One is that by which an oily 
substance, when mixed with watery liquid, causes it to be 
reduced to the state of an emulsion, and so the oil becomes 
disseminated through the watery liquid. However, this 
change will not take place when oil is added to pure water, 
or to a watery solution of neutral or acid salts; but if a 
trace of alkaline carbonate be present, is when this dis¬ 
seminating change takes place, and in a like manner al¬ 
buminous ingredients of the blood and other secretions of 
the body will undergo this emulsifying action when slight 
traces of some alkaline products are present, while if acid 
salts are present this chemical action is held temporarily in 
check. But to go further, all these fats may be saponified 
by the very same drug which causes it to emulsify, as by 
the proper and abundant use of some alkaline salts. But 
the embalmer must consider the important matter of chemi¬ 
cal equivalents, in order for them to be able to obtain a de¬ 
sirable result, s nee it is true that there are so many other 
substances within the body which in a like manner will 
require certain specific remedies in order to modify their pe¬ 
culiar tendencies, instead of exciting the destroying influ¬ 
ence, as shown above, by the chemical results of a slight 
alkaline influence when these oils and fatty substances are 
emulsified with water, and how widely different when sa¬ 
ponification may be produced with the proper amount of 
this same alkaline. 

When human fats and oils are maintained free from 
water, they will evaporate, grow rancid and gaumy. When 
damp and moist they putrify. 

The salts of the body when undergoing death changes, 
will produce various stages in breaking down the flesh cells, 
as the body juices and the fats and oils become emulsified 
in accordance to the quantity and quality of these oil and 
watery substances of the body physique, and in the same 
ratio of this emulsification this will follow as the propigat- 
ing medium, as the infusions for the spontaneous animal- 
culations known as Baccilli. 

Saponification, coagulation and dry emaciations will de¬ 
stroy all germ decompositions. However this is only dur- 


Abbreviated Embalmology. 145 

ing the period that a perfectly dry condition is maintained 
in these saponified and coagulated substances and the ulti¬ 
mate results of dryness is that of evaporation and the 
wasting away as by the slower processes of decay and 
physical obliteration. See pages 28 , 32 , 33, and 3 k- 

The following brief list of chemicals will show their 
action upon certain flesh substances: 

Sulphuric acid causes starchy substance matter to swell: 
also thickens glucose. 

Citrate of Mercury Acid colors albumenous substances 
red. 

Diluted ascetic acid dissolves menbraneus and 
fibrous tissues. 

Ether dissolves resins, fats, oils, when they are 

not saturated w r ith water. 

Chloroform,, benzal, oil turpentine, carbon bisul¬ 
phide do the same. 

Alcohol dissolves resins and volatile oils, but does 
not act on oils and fats. It cougulates albumen¬ 
ous matter and renders them opacity. The last 
may be removed by soda. 

Salicylic acid combines with borax dissolved in 
glycerine or acetate potassa. 

Coagulation. - The conversion of many of the body liquids into 
a more or less soft and tremuless mass. The "white of an 
egg may be coagulated by alcohol, alum, heat or any coro- 
sive salts which take up the water which it contains. 

Saponification.—When a putrefying corpse is exposed to water 
or in damp soil it may undergo a process of Saponification. 
Chemically speaking the fatty acids of the body substances 
combine with other body substances, such as ammonia, 
and form adipoire. 

Sapo is the product obtained by treating fatty bodies 
with caustic alkalies dissolved in water. 

Anastomosis.—The phenomenal communication between two 
vessels. If the course of our body fluids be arrested, as by 
injury or disease in one vessel, it will proceed along other 
membranes as though the nerves were channels. The ar¬ 
teries and veins anastomose within the kidneys ; also the 
pregnant uterus anastomose both arterial and venous blood 
with the placenta, and many of the synovia membranes 
exhale a fluid to all the movable articulations of the body. 
The synovia fluids resemble albumen or the white of an 
egg, and on analysis are said to contain water, albumen, 
soda, chloride of sodium (salt) and phosphate of lime. 
Synovian cysts are local enlargements, or they may in¬ 
clude a form of dropsy in the synovian sheaths. See 
page 113. 

Necros.-A cadaver. 

Necrocedia.—Funeral attention. 


146 


Osmosis and Collateral Vessels. 


Necrocedia.—Embalming. 

Necroscopia.—Examine, autopsia, or theembalmer’s inspection 
of the dead. 

Necropsia.—Post mortem examination after death 

Osmose, Endosmose, Exosmose, Collateral Vessels. 

In considering the important question of a complete and prac¬ 
tical collateral circulation being made throughout the capillary 
system by injecting the arteries, after they and the veins have 
had the blood drawn out of them, as by the use of the long silken 
catheter, is a matter which we desire our readers to consider as an 
item of the greatest moment of interest to all of them as embalm- 
ers. For while we may trace each artery to the smallest branches, 
where they diverge into the capillaries of the viscera and the deep 
flesh, do not be misguided into the belief that any embalming 
fluid can be put through the capillary by the use of a strong 
pump, no matter how much blood has been "drawn from the veins 
or any parts of the body. 

While to the uninformed this arterial and veinous collateral 
circulation would appear to them as being easy and practical, but 
to a well informed anatomist all such delusive and illogical theories 
would pass as an empirical delusion of those who profess to make 
such embalming operations. Collateral circulation, generally 
speaking, means arteries and vessels branches which follow 
nearly the same course as the vessel from which they emanate 
The blood vessels of the fingers and toes are called collateral 
vessels. 

To consider the question of putting embalming fluids into the 
capillaries of the viscera, glands and the deep flesh, let us study 
the line of practical theories which the well known science of an¬ 
atomy give us to day, not as theory, but as the well known and 
true facts, the word osmose (osmosis) means impulse, or the 
force by which fluids are impelled through moist membranes and 
other porous septa, by endosmotic and exosmotic action. What 
the embalmers should know, endosmose expresses the action 
by which fluids from without to within organic membranes like 
the flesh cells and its tissue and this is only by the action of two 
fluids on each other when separated by a membrane, and the gen¬ 
eral conditions of this phenomena are: First, that these fluids 
should have an affinity for the interposed membrane; and, sec¬ 
ondly, that such fluids should have an affinity for each other and 
be miscible. 

To go farther, as we consider the normal function of life, the 
process of Endosmose is varied in its time for accomplishing this 
transmission of those fluids, much in accordance to the nature of 
the septum or tissue, and of the penetrability of the flesh and 
body substances. Exosmose means the opposite to Endosmose, 
the chemical act, by which fluids are transuded, as from within 
the cells of flesh tissue to without that substance as by being ex¬ 
tracted by some affinitizing substances. After death all of the 


Professional Technic Required . 147 

embalming emaciations do this as by alcohol, chloride of zinc, by 
the affinity for water juices of the flesh. 

In speaking of a perfect Collateral arterial circulation ought 
to be accomplished in some favorable cases, but such an opera¬ 
tion is not likely to follow the work of any emperical embalming 
anatomist, and if a complete and perfect collateral arterial circula¬ 
tion was ever performed since that idea seems to be prevailent 
in the minds of a few not skilled with a knowledge of embalming 
anatomy, there certainly would not be any black and mortified 
blotches to follow and show on the side of the neck, or on the 
more favorable members of that body like the hands, in the short 
time of a week after such an elaborate and wonderful process of 
embalment had been performed. The claim for a perfect collateral 
arterial circulation to be accomplished upon any deceased body in 
the short time of an hour or a day cannot be excepted as ever 
being successfully accomplished by any single arterial and veinous 
operation, and while the author joins Renouard and Prof. R. W. 
Hussey in recommending the well known plans for removing 
the veinous and arterial fluids as early and as thoroughly as 
possible, yet, as for anyone being able to force embalming fluid 
through the flesh capillaries into the veins is a pre osterous and 
illogical theory, that is as false and misguiding as those who 
profess and teach that class of doctrine as belonging to the true 
sciences of our modern embalming art. See page 152 . 

A Professional Technic Required. 

In considering the question of Proper Technic, in this book, it 
is not my purpose to more than outline a few of the questions 
which require past, present and future synomyms. This is a 
question which ought to receive some attention, and it is one 
open for discussion, and no doubt some good things may soon be 
drawn out, when once this matter is taken up and discussed for 
the good of the profession. 

The primary object of each case should be classed 
with a view of performing such embalming operation as 
may be determined upon before commencing the work 
for when we rate one modes of proceedure there should 
be some specific object in view, and while it is true that the 
Egyptians had but three classes of this work, one of 
which was determined upon beforehand, the modern em- 
balmer should also be able to determine upon as many 
classes of this art; yet, this should not be by any class of 
process, for a process is only that of a limited art which 
could hardly be rated as a progressive science. A pro¬ 
cess may be defined into two or more ways for making 
good leather or good soap, but a process can scarcely be 
made such as to conform the many intricacies of modern 
embalming into all that is now required of the embalmer 
as a strictly professional man. In order for us to more 
fully meet these new requirements, we ought to devise 


148 


Result of Reagents. 

ways and means by which to better denote not only the 
physical stage of putrescion, but we should also have 
words by which to denote the past, present and future of 
all that relates to the professional work in order that 
all operations may be made more methodical and scien¬ 
tific, as by Necropathology. 

Destroying influence may be denominated as Past, Present 
and Future Stage. 

Face appearance and other anomalistic words : 

Neck and face—Distrolation, Distrolating, Distrated. 

Thorax—Thorolation, Thoralizing. Thoralized. 

Abd.—Abdomate, Abdomated, Abdomalized. 

General appearance favorable. 

Fngormalizing, unfavorable 

Flesh decay should be more properly classed according to 
the substance matter, which causes various forms of body disso¬ 
lution. 

What the following words mean might be given by some bet¬ 
ter words, or an equivolent for them : 

Express, Body Condition, Theoral and Special. 

Many of the following words are thrown together in a pecu¬ 
liarly constructed way, more in hopes of drawing out, rather 
than as any suggestion : 

Putrescinating. 

Putrescing. 

Putrid. 

Amonical. 

Abnoxous. 

Amonolating. 

Abnormolating. 

Foetid. 

Fetromating. 


Putrescinated. 

Putrescense. 

Purilent. 

Aminofiical. 

Amonolated. 

Abnormolated. 

Abnormolous. 

Fetreous. 

Fetronated. 


The disturbing influences should be classed to denote all the 
various stages of body waisting, decay, or Putrefaction, as by 
some definable Putremologv. 


Vegetable Souring 

Fungus Fermenting 

Bacillus Thickening 

Animalculating spores Softening 

Putrescing 


Lactic 
Sporific 
Carbonic 
Cadeavic 
Amonial gas 
Hydrogen gas 


Result of Embalming Reagents. 

Embalming plans, systems and methods, may be attained in 
various ways; such as by rendering the flesh and body fluids 
neutral or chemically inactive, by some suitable equivalent ele¬ 
ment or substance that will correspond and harmonize all the 


Result of Reagents. 


149 


various body substances in a it anner as by the following 
methods : 


Dry 

Evaporated 

Emulsified 

Adiporcire 

Waxy 

Granulated 

Cohesion of Molec 

Solidificated 


CLASS 


Ordinary 

Carefull 

Special 


Emaciation 
Coagulation 
Saponification 
Gly comi zing 
Balsamizing 
Resonizing 
ules Crystalizing 
Petrifying 

Embalment. 

METHOD 

Pallitive 

Materially 

Specific 


indefinite. 


I ( 
( 6 
i ( 


permanent. 

i. 

oxadizing. 


4 4 


ART SCIENCE 

Indeffinite 

Substancially 

Actually 


Thermal and operation results that may be attained by 
Arterial, Cavity, or Anastomotic Embalmology. 


Reagents. 
Anti-fermentum. 
Oxadizing. 
Crystalizing. 
Amaciating. 
Drying. 
Etherolizing. 
Efforviscalated. 
Emulcilized. 
Granulized. 
Glycerized. 
Waxinated. 


Coagulents. 
Petrifyers. 
Sublimation. 
Absorbents. 
Evaporating. 
Affinitizing. 
Metherolizing. 
Non Superating. 
Aromatized. 
Saponified. 
Glycerifyed. 
Mumified. 


The profession should have some more practical system for 
studying all that relates to Necropathology, and so be able to 
learn what are the best and most practical agents for their use in 
each specific class of Putrescion. 

Crude embalming drugs and chemicals are variously com¬ 
posed of 

Salts as bases. 

Acids as bases. 

Sodium and compounds. 

Ammonium Hydrate. 

Potassium Hydrate. 

Calcium Hydrates. 

Nitrates. 

Difused gases. 

Chlorides. 

Chlorates. 

Sublimates. 

Salt liquors. 


150 


Ferments and Remedies. 


Metalic arsenates. 

Sodium and its compounds. 

Alum, salts, borates, chlorates. 

Balsams, resins, gums. 

Spices, honey and sweet granulations. 

Volatile or essential oils. 

Liquor, wines, alcohols, ether, aromatics and perfumes. 


Some putrifying Causes anb (Embalming 

Heagents. 


The Ferments are known as alcoholic, acetic, and latic fermen¬ 
tation. Putrefaction and the zymontic or morbid attack of infec¬ 
tious diseases. 

Alcohol.—Methyl alcohol is obtained from distilling of wood 
or its smoke. It is poisonous and is used to dissolve resins, 
fats and oils. 

Ethyl Alcohol.—Spirits of wine. It is made by fermenting 
glucose and distilling the product from grain and fruits. Absolute 
alcohol is a dangerous poison, and its use as an embalming rem¬ 
edy is because of its power or affinity for water; it hardens the 
tissue and coagulates albumen and similar semi-fluids of the body, 
it creates an emaciated and drying influence by an anastomos¬ 
ing effect throughout the body. 

Essential Oils.—This will include all of the perfumes as well 
as such articles as oil of cloves. The trouble is to get strictly 
pure articles on account of the high price: 

Oil of Anise—Russian. 

Oil or Anise—Chinese. 

Oil of Bay, with Oil of Pimento, clover and nutmeg. 

Oil of Bergamot is cheapened with oil of sweet orange. 

Oil of Cade with common tar. 

Oil of Cajaput with camphor dissolved in oil of turpentine. 

Oil of Caraway. 

Oil of Cardamon with oil cajaput and camphor. 

Oil of Cassia and fixed oils. 

Oil of Cedar with Turpentine. The Egyptians used oil of 
cedar as a natrum to destroy the viscera and most of the flesh, 
leaving nothing of the body but skin and bones. 

Other essential oils are : 

Oil of Ceylon Cinnamon. 

Oil of Craton. 

Oil of Cubeb. 

Oil of Rose Geranium. 

Oil of Hemlock. 

Oil of Juniper Berries. 

Oil. of Lemon. 




Scientific Embalming. 


151 


Oil of Neroli. 

Oil of Patchouly. 

Oil of Rosemary Flowers. 

Oil of Sassafras. 

Oil of Sandalwood. 

Oil of Thymol. 

Oil of Verbena. 

Oil of Almonds. 

Oil of Amber. 

The above essential, or volatile oils dissolve in alcohol and 
evaporate readily. Their uses as embalming remedies depends 
upon specific objects and purposes, only when confined to a fixed 
principal which requires the use of one or more of them for their 
anastomatic and volatile diffusing influences as emaciators and 
dessicators of the various body substances. 

Drying oils, such as linseed oil, absorb oxygen from the air 
and soon solidify; while the non drying, such as olive oil, do not 
solidify, but they develop acids and soon become rancid. Chem¬ 
istry tells us that acids and fats are the salts of fatty acids, while 
their base is glycerine. The most common of these salts are 
known 1 as olein, found in olive oil, palmitin in the palm oil,*and 
also in the human fats, while stearin is found in lard. The first 
is a liquid, the second semi-solid, while the last is solid. Though 
each one of these are variously subjected to various fatty acid 
rancidity, which is likely to follow into the rapid destruction of 
other body substances around them as they re-degenerate back to 
their primary salts and bases. 


Scientific (Embalming Operations. 


Reviewing- Operations may be performed upon the 

Arterial System. 

Veinous System. Seepages 51 to 71. 

Cavity Operations.—Cranial cavity and Cerebral veins 
by operating through the inside corner of each eye space, or 
through the central nasal cartilage, or by another operation at the 
base of the skull behind the head. See pages 132 to 138. 

Thoratic Cavity.—Operations upon the heart, lungs and 
around both these organs in the space of the pericardium sac, 
which surrounds the heart, and also in the plura spaces around 
the lungs. See Pages 77 to 82. 

Abdominal Cavity Operation.—This operation should 
be made upon the stomach, transcolon, the bowels, kidneys, 
bladder, liver and the adipose, and if a female, might require 
special operations upon the uterus, while the greatest care should 
be observed in knowing that the trocar or needle point is sharp 
enough to puncture through the many reflections of the periton- 
ium which surrounds the abdominal vicera, and in case that any 




152 


The Embalming Agents. 

liquid infiltration or gases are to be drawn out of any of these 
cavities, watch that the instrument is not clogged up by the over- 
laping of some of these soft membranes. When such interrup¬ 
tions are too great, it will be better and safer to make an incision 
large enough to allow the gas or watery fluid to escape so as to 
avoid this further and possibly rapid distroying influence. See 
pages 82 to 95. 

Areolar Space Operations.—Of the deep muscles and 
the lymphatics, the deep facie, superfacie, facie and epidermis. 

See pages 133 to 137. 


€mbalming (agents. 


The Affinitizers.—Comprises various drugs such as alum,, 
arsenic, salt, corrosive sublimate and similar articles which pos¬ 
sess a strong affinity for water. 

The Saponifying- Agents.—Are such as caustic, potash, 
and many other alkali products. 

The Coagulating Agents.—"Alcohol and some of the 
volatile ethers. 

The Neutralizing Agents.—Comprises such salts or the 
compounds as will modify the chemical action, which may take 
place with a given substance under natural or some other super¬ 
vening influences. 

The Emaciating Agents.—Will comprise such drug solu¬ 
tions as zinc, arsenic, benzoin, corrosive sublimate, ammonia and 
similar drugs, which distract moisture or the flesh juices unto * 
themselves by various diffusions, while dry air and similar causes 
create a dry and evaporating influence, and so in this measure 
destroys all putrefying processes as soon as all moisture is re¬ 
moved. 

The Anastomosing Agents.—Comprise all the flesh per¬ 
meating agents ; such as some of the essential oils, ethers, chloro¬ 
form, alcohols and any other liquid or vapor medium that will 
carry a drying or neutralizing agent throughout all the 
body substances, and so c eate such a diffusing influence as 
to destroy all putrifying stages throughout every portion of the 
deceased body with thepermancy of a true embalment. 




(Experimenting mitt? Ctjeap Drugs anb Cfyetr 

Compounds. 


Under certain proper and theoretical circumstances there may 
be quite a number of varieties and classes of cheap drugs that 
may be made use of as the most available for embalming the 
various classes of diseased bodies, to which each drug or its com¬ 
pound may be adapted because of its possessing some true reme¬ 
dial property, which may fit it into a place of value as an embalm¬ 
ing agent. 

But 1 do not mean to say that cheap drugs can be thrown 
together in any class of compounding, other than by some sys¬ 
tematic rule known to the true science of pharmacy. When cer¬ 
tain drugs, which possess a given property that is known to be 
.useful under certain laws of cause and effect, and so may be¬ 
come useful to the embalming art, under the same law and by the 
same methodical rule as in that science which, for one or more 
purposes, has denominated its quality and uses as a proper rem¬ 
edy of any class of embalming, or in fact any other class of 
drugs or chemicals have any place in the embalming Pharmlicopse; 
that place must be given to them by a strict demonimated class 
to which each one of them may belong, and if one of these drugs 
has any known property which may class it as an embalming 
reagent, which will remedy any class of Putrescions. What 
class, or what disease, and what body physique is it best adapted 
to, are the questions which we must know, if a true and unwaver¬ 
ing remedy? For one drug, or in fact no compound of several 
drugs, can and will remedy all classes and condition of subjects, 
and it is no more reasonable that they should do so in embalming 
the dead than for any drug to cure all diseases, or to be applicable 
to all varieties and uses in any of the other arts. 

Necrocedial Remedies. 

Specific compounds for general specific purposes and uses may 
be excepted as will be spoken of elsewhere, because some of our 
well known and responsible proprietory embalming fluid prepara¬ 
tions are to be classed from what has been known of them by 
so many years of their uses, when in the hands of experienced 
and progressive emb?lmers. (See reliable embalming fluids.) 
But to deal properly with the unknown compounds which are so 
common all over this country, it is scarcely necessary for me to 
sav that the time is here when the embalmers should begin to con 
sider what they buv and use, much in accordance to the source 
that such articles come from, as well as to know of the personal 


154 


Injurious Compounds. 

qualification of those who profess to understand so much about 
the sciences of chemistry, and the true laws that stand behind the 
strange phenomena of all class and conditions of Necrosal em- 
balment. 

Preparations That Are Injurious Instead of Useful. 

All inteligent people should know that by the first law princi¬ 
pal of all drugs, one chemical is made more or less combatable 
with even the air or some damp vapors, while two or more drugs 
put together may become more or less dangerous, because of 
their primary products, which may combine in various ways so 
as to destroy themselves, or something else that may be near to 
them, and for either cheap drugs, or any other classes of drugs, 
to be compounded by any supposable embalming formula, or 
thrown together for the embalmers’ use by any one who is not 
strictly conversant with all that relates to the sciences of the 
known pharmecutal history of each of the element proportions 
which each drug may possess; and to go farther, how do these 
adventurers know what specific part of either one of these primary 
drug products may be made useful as an embalming remedy, in 
any given case, or under any given cause or circumstances . 
whatever ? 

While if we go still farther, what can self-professed men 
know about the various properties of injury these so-called dis¬ 
covered drug compounds may possess, and in fact is it not more 
probable that for each single case that may be benefited there will 
be ten to one hundred cases that are injured, and possibly de¬ 
stroyed. And when we take away the name from such fluids 
there will be nothing left of such compound to recommend its 
use as an embalming remedy, or it is not true that they are sold 
by name and not on what they merit. 

True Remedies. 

All professional advancement must come by the work of 
study, and the application of the industrious class of men who 
so ply themselves to only the true professional methods by 
sturdiness and candor, and it is not the work of a true profession 
which supplies formulated mysteries by any way or class of 
secret discoveries. 

If cheap drugs have any place as embalming reagents, the 
true history of each one must be brought to light by dealing with 
the actual chemical properties, which each one of these drugs may 
possess, and this in just the same way as the proofs are made for 
establishing any other class of drugs or pharmaceutical prepara¬ 
tions that are made as the specific remedy for any class of disease 
or other purpose. 

The fact that a drug or any other compound is high priced 
gives it no value as an embalming remedy, and the fact of know¬ 
ing that a preparation possesses fifty or "more ingredients would 


155 


Cheap Drugs Uses. 

also disqualify the compound in the mind of any one who knows 
the first law principle of chemistry, but there has been not a few 
men who profess to do a little embalming who have been induced 
to believe that such and such compound must be quite wonderful 
in its mysterious working power as an embalming fluid, and 
what all, who study to learn the modern and practical way of em¬ 
balming, should know is that neither the high price of drugs nor 
the endless variety of drugs that may be thrown together are to 
be considered of any practical value or use to them or anyone 
else for uses in the treatment of any class of cases to be em¬ 
balmed, but all true embalming scien.ce and its known and estab¬ 
lished acquisitions must be made such by men who are also 
known to be both qualified and truthful in dealing with what re¬ 
lates to experimental tests and their opinions as they define any 
class of drugs into any classes or uses as embalming remedies 
for either special or general uses. Then when other men of like 
experience and conservative discretion may further establish and 
show by some practical proofs that such drug or its compound do 
possess such chemical properties as will qualify them in some way 
for the the embalmer’s uses as embalming remedies, then this 
proof should be further established by a long line of other proofs 
that relates these evidences to what can be shown to other men 
who are skilled in the art. But what other men may say or be¬ 
lieve should be rated and classed as the opinions of inexperienced 
men, and while it may be true that empirical observation 
might make some good discovery, or say something which might 
lead others directlv to it, yet our profession should learn to be 
more cautious in the future as to what they may say or do in re¬ 
gard to their practices, and what remedies they may use until 
they have rigidly established every claim by the most exacting 
proofs from the most professional and practical standpoints which 
may be given by men of a professional standing. 

Cheap drugs do have many valuable places in all of the arts, 
but such place is given to them only upon the most practical and 
simple, yet by the most scientific laws, which each drug or its 
compounds are made into as the available remedies for so many 
and varied purposes, for not only the common uses of men, but 
for the highest place and uses in all art science, to which capable 
and gifted men of the known science of chemistry have proven 
and adapted them to various useful place, because of the primary 
elements, which, in various ways, have been shown to adapt 
them to some specific result, and this is done by these men 
through the carefully studies laws of cause and effect, and as this 
has been true in medical pharmacy, and so, perhaps, many of 
these simple and cheap drugs may yet take some grand and use¬ 
ful places as the embalmers most scientific and available remedies 
for at least a fairly good part of their professional work, but our 
profession will do well to see that all their embalming fluids are 
made and brought out by men qualified in all that relates to the 
embalrmng pharmacy. 


Herneir* of Boby Dissolution anb 
Hemcbial ZTlct^obs. 


In considering the general consequentive results of diseases or 
any other death causes, it may be shown that the combined 
Necrocedial results, as they may and in fact always are, caused 
by the actual physical substances which each body may contain 
at the time of death, and so these body substances in various 
ways, may thus become putrifying infusions, which is more or 
less peculiar to the body substances, which the oils, fats, and 
other flesh liquids of the body may produce ; and as the oleine 
and similar fluid substances sours the oil becomes rancid. While 
the albuminous matter foster the putrelescing stage when 
amonical gasses will thicken and swell the fatty cells, and so 
break them down into the watery state when other gasses like 
sulphuretted and phosphuretted hydrogen gas will form and im¬ 
pregnate every flesh tissue of the body. 

I regret that space will not permit my giving a detail instead 
of a limited outline of Bacterial Chemistry, and by this show 
how many forms of dissolution there are known under various 
heads of well defined germ theory, but to show the prevailing 
condition of the putrofying body fluids as they are found. 

The blood always separates into two or more substances. 
When the Fibrine goes into a clotted mass with a clear liquid over 
it there will not be the blackened face for some hours, or even 
days after death, like there will be at such times when the acidity 
of the fluids take place so rapidly as to disolve the fibrine more or 
less, and so create an echmosis or inkey condition of blood, 
which takes place so soon after death in both the asscending and 
descending vena cava. The proof of this condition will be 
shown by pressing the thorax when the face will blacken; should 
this fail try a pressure upon both the thorax and abdomen. Page 
81 , from Gray, published in the May, 1893 , number of the Em- 
balmer’s Monthly, showing the veins of the head and neck, and 
it only remains for me to say that the more robust the physical 
condition are in at the time of death the larger will be the veins 
and arteries, while by the side of this comes the fluid and fats of 
the Lymphatic system. See page 76. 

The February number of the same monthly illustrates 
Renouard's system for withdrawing the blood from the region of 
the heart by means of a silk catheter being introduced into the 
left Brachial vein, and this simple operation for introducing the 



Obstruction*. 


157 


catheter clear up to the heart has many admirable points. Yet 
there still remain so many hindrances, for while in some cases 
this echmosis or black fluid may be all removed, there are other 
cases where solid clots of blood or vein ruptures will not enable 
the operator to get in the vacinity of this veinous blood by this 
operation. 

Black Faces Caused by the Thickening of the Viscera. 

During the seventies I wrote out a plan which the Casket pub¬ 
lished, and through the columns of the same paper, during the 
summers of ’ 80 , ' 81 , ’82 and ’ 83 , 1 gave it as my opinion that 
when the trocar or canula needle, after being forced into the 
heart, failed to remove this black fluid, it was because of the 
thickening of the cells of the viscerea, and this was caused by a 
state of fermentation, and when so far advanced as to.press upon 
the walls of the thorax, or when no blood or gasses are free there 
may be some engorgement of some portion of abdorminal viscera 
which may press all of the blood upward and outward, and so 
cause the face and surfaces of the body to appear black and 
moitified. In such cases as this either the trocar or needle ought 
to open up the swollen parts so as to remedy the case and 
make room for the inky blood fluid inside of the trunk of the body, 
but should it still do so a liberal use of both the knife and the 
long explosing rod may be necessary in order to obtain good re¬ 
sults by quick methods. In handling both children and adults 
of large and fatty physique it is always necessary to watch that 
the fluids, which are being injected, do not displace the black 
veinous fluid that has settled info the thorax, and so cause it and 
some of the light gasses to raise into the face ; or it may do so 
at tne time or a few hours afterwards. Though it may be said 
that this will happen at such times as when the arteries only have 
been injected. If the veins had been injected properly the em¬ 
balming fluids would have coagulated the inky fluid, and so pre¬ 
vented much of its being in any floating and gaseous condition. 

Obstructions. 

We must always consider the question of abscesses blood clots 
and ruptures, and a disregard of these conditions are the princi¬ 
pal causes why one case failed to do as well as one that was 
operated upon in exactly the same way. For in cases of these 
and like obstructions the embalming fluids may all be placed in 
some side cavity like a pocket, and when it does so the chemical, 
no matter how good it may be, can not enter into contact with 
those primary gasses which is designed to destroy by its 
chemical uses. 

Instead of chemically acting upon the sour fluids of the body, 
it takes space, which the swelling organs of the body require, and 
in the operation the face and neck gets black and puffed up out of 
shape. Now as we have a good point for a lesson, the ruptured 


158 


Practical Enibalining. 

artery or the blood clot are two causes for losing the case, while 
the third one may come by reason of our own work, so there are 
three causes instead of but two. 

What shall we do ? The quick way is to use the knife and 
open the chest, so that the veins may be cut off. Split the lungs 
only after injecting the arteries an 1 lungs full of embalming fluid 
through the trocar. 1 p’ove my work by slight cut at the ex¬ 
tremities of the arteries, say between the fingers and toes, when 
the pump will show whether the arterial vessels- are ruptured or 
clogged up. 

Should the engorgement of the abdomen require opening do not 
fail to use the knife liberally. But first try to aspirate the organs 
thoroughly, and so free them of their fluid or gaseous contents, 
should this be the cause of the abnormal condition. When all 
ordinary injections of the cavities or arteries fail to do the work 
in time, then it has been my invariable rule to make such deep 
incisions as the case demanded in order to first get at the very 
seat and causes of cadavical engorgement. By this means it will 
then be easy to remove the sour fluids of the body at such times 
and places when no embalming fluid can be made to reach the 
local or general disorder, and then by a liberal use of the em¬ 
balming fluid and drugs the viscera will settle down and remain 
free from further putrescing engorgement. So use the knife 
freely, but judiciously. 


(theoretical anb Practical (Emhalment 


The embalming operations should be simple and rendered com¬ 
plete by a th irough knowledge of the physical condition which 
each subject will present, otherwise no one should undertake this 
important work until they become thoroughly acquainted with 
the human structure and the various abnormal condition to 
which each organ of the body may become involved with bv 
local affection, which mus be obviated by the various methods 
and processes known to the art. 

As rigor mortis will hold a vascular regiditv of the vessels 
during a few hours after death, it is best to await this muscular 
relaxation before undertaking to inject the embalming fluid. But 
during the last few years it has become customary to call the em- 
balmer at once after death and by this very good work can 
be done before rigor mortis take place. In cases when the body 
is very large and fleshy there will be more or less troubled to raise 
many of the arteries which the surgical illustrations show, but 
the brachial, femoral and other arteries of the limbs, may be 
located and raised with but little trouble, provided we use‘care 
to locate the vessel, and then in making the incision so as to 
not cut them off, and so possibly lose the vessel we desire. 




Working Proofs. 

Black Faces. 


159 


Bad Case.—When the vein and artery are securely con¬ 
nected to the artery tubings we may inject vaporous solution, 
made by putting alkali and soda equal parts into the bottle, and 
then turn some liquid ammonia into the bottle, and use care to 
weaken the solution with water so that it will not be to strong ; 
then inject this into the veins and arteries. 1 sometimes use one- 
half gallon or more in order to soften the veins and arteries and 
dissolve the blood clots and then draw it out. 

1 would say repeat the operation and make the proofs 
show that the arteries are not obstructed until the fluid 
runs clean and white, then inject the arteries and veins as full of 
the embalming solution as possible, varying in quantity accord¬ 
ing to the size of the body. Yet some subjects will require more 
fluid than others, but 1 want not less than from three to five pints 
of fluid to the adult. 


Working Proofs. 

It is not best to try to force the injection at any one place, 
because better work will result when the vessels receive the fluid 
with but little pressure, for as a rule the hand bulb syringe will 
be all that is necessary to inject it, and when the toes and fingers 
be cut to show us small streams of fluid passing we may feel 
more confident that the arteries are not ruptured. Yet this will 
be no indication that the kidneys and other organs of the body 
will also receive a like proportion of the embalming fluids. 

After an hour or so more fluid may again be injected into the 
veins^and arteries—in fact it will be better to continue this opera¬ 
tion for a day or so, when circumstances will admit of it. In 
case we do not feel safe to risk the embalming fluid you have 
taken 5 oz. of chloride of zinc, 4 pints of water, 2 02 . hydro¬ 
chloride solution of arsenic, 1 oz. salicylic acid, 1 pint of alcohol, 
and after drawing out as much of the body fluids from the arter¬ 
ies and veins as possible inject this solution. When in the 
course of an hour or so small mottled spots will show upon the 
face and other parts of the body and finally settle down, and then 
the flesh will become firm and dry. 

In all cases where marks of any enlargement are shown with 
either the Ihoracic cavity or the abdomen, the aspirating needle 
should be inserted in such a manner as to draw out the pus fluid 
or gases which may be likely to be the cause of this enlargement 
before filling the arteries with the embalming fluids. [See Figs. 
27, 28, 29, 31.) 

As there are so many causes of death, the embalmer must 
study each of these or run his chances of losing a subject by 
some oversight. While a general system or process may do for 
a large per cent, of deceased bodies, there are many classes of 
subjects which will require more than a special treatment of cavity 
injections. Experience proves this to the extent that special post 


160 


Brain Removals. 


mortem operations will be found necessary in order to remove the 
abnormal organ or the seat or local difficulty that to begin with is 
the cause which sooner or latei endangers the whole system of 
that body to such an extent that it will go to pieces by reason of 
its poisonous gasses. Kidney troubles, inflammation ,of bowels 
or of the peritoneum [See Fig. 31) and several similar diseased 
affections of both the abdominal or thoralic viscera. These are 
each subjects of the greatest consequence and they must be dealt 
with in the most thorough way by either removing these organs 
with the knife or locating them accurately and then introducing 
the trocar or exploring tubes and injecting them with the strongest 
fluids. The stomach, lungs, liver, kidneys, bladder and intestines 
should each be injected and washed out, while pregnant women, 
in the advanced state, must be especially treated. {See Plates 3 
and 3. Fig. 36 and 37.) 

Brain Removal. 

The brain requires more or less attention, according to the 
case. Prof. Renouard introduces embalming fluids into the brain 
by means of a short strong tube, inserted through the corner of 
the eyes—in fact by removing the eyeballs part of the brain may 
be drawn out with a hooked rod. Another way is to drill a hole 
through both ears, by coursing the point of the instrument well 
upward as it goes into the head. The best way is to raise the 
skin on the side of the head by a long flap about an inch square, 
then turn the flap back to the ear, trephan the skull and draw out 
all the brain, fill up the space with sawdust and dry arsenic, then 
inject the embalming fluid and close up securely. When the hair 
has been prearranged, the wound may be fully covered up. 1 
gave a plan some eleven years ago through the columns of The 
Casket for removing much of the fatty deposits from the abdomen 
and from under the muscles of the limbs and around the trunk of 
the body by means of long iron hooks and probes, and my plan 
in treating very fleshy subjects is to inject strong embalming 
fluids under both the muscles and the deep and superficial fascias. 
With this operation we will be limited to the places which are first 
opened by the probes and exploring rods, but after this is well 
started a strong pump will send the fluid over a considerable sur¬ 
face ot all such places as the needle can be inserted into far enough 
to close the space around the needle shauk. 

Treatment of Adipose and Morbid Growth. 

When there is a large quantity of abdominal fats or adipose, 
this should be removed when possible to do so, otherwise I would 
gash it open and let the heat out, then treat the whole subject with 
dry arsenic and caustic soda. The deep flesh of the thighs will 
also hold heat in a corresponding manner. In order to stay the 
decomposing tendencies of the flesh juices as they take on the 
souring or rancid process, this animal heat must be stopped as 


161 


Adipose and Morbid Growth 

quickly as possible, otherwise the fluids of the whole body will 
become enworked by the volatile fatty acids and similar animoni- 
cal compounds to that extent where nothing short of putting the 
body into a vat of emblming brine or solution will stop the rabid 
elements of body dissolution, because of the spontaneous outburst 
of nature’s element, putridity and decay. 

1 find that it will not be possible for me to enumerate all of 
the known chemicals for embalming this body and keeping it as 
a specimen of the art, especially that class of ''bodies which Plate 
i shows. If 1 should attempt to reason out the specific requisites 
of each drug and how and why one class was especially adapted 
to the uses for embalming certain cases, and why they were unfit 
for another class, it would take far too much space, as well as to 
add no end of confusion to those who know but little, if anything, 
about chemistry. But the time is not far distant when all em- 
balmers will study special classes of chemistry and by this means 
will be able to treat all cases by methods governed largely by 
physical signs and conditions, and the writer will be very glad to 
discuss all such questions after they have thoroughly studied the 
long line of death-ending causes which we have given in this 
book, and those who desire may address the author, care of the 
publishers of this book. 

What I would impress upon the minds of all who have interest 
enough in the subject of progressive embalming is that the em¬ 
balming art is a progressive science and one that will yet become 
much better established by fixed principles of chemistry and by 
methods of embalming operations, for it is true that as the physi¬ 
cal conditions,within a class, when coupled with diseases of cer¬ 
tain classes, become subjects for special treatment, and thus one 
now becomes involved with so many intricacies that the em- 
balmer’s observations and former experiences only can find ways 
and means by which to finally master the situation, as may "be 
required of our profession, for it will only be by the most philo¬ 
sophical reasoning that any one man’s work may be shown and 
established as being better than than that of others equally experi¬ 
enced. Yet if this be true, and we know that it is in all questions 
of medicine and surgery, why not so with embalmers also ? 

Then if we look about us we may see the first steps toward a 
true methodical advancement in the embalming art, as it will then 
be a fact that it has began. When all experienced observations 
will be brought together upon common laws of cause and effect 
by those men who become so profoundly broad minded as to 
throw away all craftiness because of a love of that truth which 
alone can make the embalming art scientific. 


Ctspirating tfe Bloob ^[uibs. 


In performing operations upon the arteries, veins and trunk 
cavities for the purpose of drawing out the blood and other fluids 
from the body, the question of making that operation successful 
depends largely upon several primary conditions. The first is, to 
get more or less directly in contact with the body fluids that are 
to be removed, and in order to be able to accomplish the success¬ 
ful removal of any considerable amount of the body fluids, this 
will depend upon the location of those fluids, this condition and 
the condition of the arteries or veins and all such other cavities 
that contain them, for if the blood is clotted around the vicinity 
of the heart, the clotted fibrine must be softened and made liquid 
enough for the pump or the aspirator to carry it out as fluid; dry 
blood or fibrine will not follow the vacuum of the pump, and in 
all cases when the blood is thick and stringy, some diluted acetic 
acid should be injected and given time enough to soften the blood 
clots and this is also true when the vein walls have dried and ad¬ 
hered together. Vinegar would do for softening this dry adhesion 
of both the blood clots and the veins, and also soften the blood 
contents of the collateral arteries and their smaller branches. Care 
should be taken to remove all the vinegar or acetic acid solution 
by washing out all the cavities and blood vessels that may have 
been filled with these sour fluids. 

Liquor Ammonia or ethal alcohol is the best for all classes, 
and especially the last when it can be afforded, and several wash¬ 
ings may be necessary in the large plethoric subject. There are 
several embalming fluids which will soften the blood and loosen 
up the veins that may be adhered together. See page 132-6. 

Body Vents Must Be Made. 

When an incision has been made to paralled the flesh of a 
dead body, usually there will not be any watery fluids that will 
escape for some considerable time afterwards, though as the 
stages of body dissolution becomes advanced, it will be found 
that such wounds will throw off more or less amounts of its flesh 
juices When the wound is made across the grain of the deep 
flesh, watery fluids will usually follow this kind of an incision 
quicker and more abundantly than with the first operation, and 
the reason for this is that the knife has cut across many of these 
fluid channels, while the first cut only paralleled a few of those 



Body Vents. 163 

channels, if any were cut open, so that the flesh juices could 
escape. 

When the trocar or needle is forced into the ordinary body, it 
is doubtful if any amount of the body fluids will run out, or may 
even be pumped out with either the syringe or aspirator, and the 
first reason is because there is no vent to let the internal fluid sub¬ 
stances follow the vacuum of the pump. 

If we press the body some fluid would flow out of some of the 
incisions quite in the same way as the contents of the stomach or 
lungs would be made to purge their fluid contents. 

Needle Obstructions. 

Body gases would escape if the exact cavity was punctured ; 
If not, this pressure might cause the stomach and lungs to purge, 
in fact, these gases might press so hard as to burst the soft glands 
and other tissues of the mouth and nose, and yet not let any 
blood or other fluids escape through the needle, and one of the 
reasons for this is that the needle is not located in any vessel or 
cavity where the fluids are located, and another reason is that 
should the needle be in the right place, some soft, flexible mem¬ 
brane might be drawn up tightly around the mouth of the needle, 
and so prevent both gas and fluid from passing. Air might be 
pumped into the cavity or vessel, and the soft membrane would 
still prevent our getting either the fluid that is reserved or even 
the air that had been forced into the body and this, as has been 
said, on account of the floating nature of many of the soft internal 
membranes that wrap themselves around the point of the needle, 
and thus prevent our drawing out much of the blood and flesh 
juices of the body. 


Open Vents. 

Artery tubes, canulas and trocar points must be well and lib¬ 
erally distributed, and then there will be some cases that will not 
give" up the body fluid as they should do by the use of the 
strongest pump, and this will sometimes occur even after the most 
liberal use of artery tubes and the canula vents have been care¬ 
fully placed After this operation there is usually no trouble in 
pumping fluid through the smallest arteries when these vessels 
are not too badly clogged up or ruptured, but if we reverse the 
the operation and try to draw out the fluid that has been put into 
them (and now much of the fluid that was put in the body cannot 
be again recovered, as the pump will not bring it back), it is easy 
to see how this may be caused by the flexible and soft sides of 
the veins falling together and drawing tightly around the point of 
the tube when the fluid is put into the veins, but in the arteries 
these vessel walls do not collapse as the veins do, and so this 
leaves the artery tube free and open, so where is the cause that 
keeps us from drawing out all of these fluids which were placed 
into these arteries. 


r 




164 /iocZvy Fen£s. 

\ 

Capillary and Molicule Affinity. 

To answer this question we will say that the capillary attrac- 
traction of the flesh substances take up some of it—capillary 
affinity —and the coalation of the fluid molicules become allied to¬ 
gether, as one molicule of water holds on to another until air sep¬ 
arates these molicules, and now, as the air is excluded by the vast 
region of the small artery branches. One vent, and in fact a 
dozen vents, are not sufficient to let the vacuum of the pump or 
syringe take it away from its common affinitor of the flesh, as 
within the remote artery branches and capillaries of the deep flesh 
and the various membranes of the body. 

Hand Working and Rubbing. 

If all blood and flesh juices of the deceased bodies could be ex¬ 
tracted by the pump and canula as completely and perfectly as it 
now seems ought to be accomplished, how easy it would be for 
us to learn how to make and perform such operations, but while 
the theory is good, and no doubt quite correct, but we must know 
and learn to master at least some of the many intricate disadvan¬ 
tages which will always surround every individual case. The 
vent theory is one of the best, but the fact that an artery or vein 
may be opened at two or more places will not always provide a 
sufficient vent, and in such cases it will be found to give a good 
result if a liberal vent is opened up to the adjacent cavity of either 
some organ of the vicera, or what may be found more beneficial 
may be found in both the thorax and the abdominal cavities by 
means of some tool which will hold the walls of the overlapping 
flesh membranes well apart, then by using alcohol or some other 
softening drug, and by working and rubbing all the flesh sur¬ 
faces much of the body fluids and flesh juices may be worked 
and drained out more or less quickly and satisfactorily, when the 
body ought to be in a much better shape for receiving the em¬ 
balming fluids. 

I use Ether for destroying the fats and oils of the body by in¬ 
jecting the strongest solution into the arteries, veins, cavities and 
the areolar spaces. After an hour or so the ether may be pumped 
and worked out by hand rubbing all parts of the body surfaces. 
Follow this by injections of alcohol in the same places, when, after 
a few hours, this alcohol may also be renewed several times if 
neceesarv. This will take away much of the water from the 
flesh. Then use the embalming fluids that possess the least 
water. See Reliable Fluids. 






























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